Partnership
by Isabel Night
Summary: 5 Writers in Japan are sucked into the War with Talpa. But there's more to these authors than meets the eye. Read and find out how. DISCONTINUED!
1. Disclaimer and Character Guide

Disclaimer-I don't own the Ronin Warriors or the Dark Warlords, they belong to their respective owners and producers. The authors in this story are based on real authors. I HAVE THEIR CONSENT TO WRITE THIS STORY; SO DON'T SUE ME.  
  
Character Profiles  
Note: All the Characters are writers or aspiring writers  
  
Jazalyn  
1.Full Name-Jazalyn Yeager  
2.Age-19 years old  
3.Hair Color-Light Brown with natural Golden Streaks. A little past shoulder length, and pushed away from her face by a metallic gold headband.  
4.Eye Color-Blue-Gray  
5.Height-5'0"  
6.Personality-Quiet, Likes to watch and learn at a distance, Philosophical, knows First Aid, and knows a little self-defense. Fiercely loyal to friends, understands things that people may miss. When angered, startled, or stressed out, will use foul language. Can have low patience at times. Absolutely hates being helpless.  
7.Armor Bearer-Anubis, Warlord of Cruelty  
8.Other Information-Has a small gold hoop piercing her nose, wears a gold necklace with the Kanji charm of Loyalty on it.  
  
  
Brian  
1.Full Name-Brian Schmidt  
2.Age-22 years old  
3.Hair Color-Blond  
4.Eye Color-Blue  
5.Height-6'0"  
6.Personality-Enjoys research, stubborn, willing to back up beliefs, has a great desire to help others, the optimist, very quiet, the pacifier of the group, and the "father figure" of the group.  
7.Armor Bearer-Cye of the Torrent  
8.Other Information-Has a scar above his left eyebrow due to an accident, knowledgeable with computers, and wears a White-Gold necklace with the Kanji charm of Trust on it.  
  
  
Sarah  
1.Full Name-Sarah Greenwood  
2.Age-19 years old  
3.Hair Color-Light Brown-Blond longer than her shoulders  
4.Eye Color-Blue-Grey  
5.Height-5'11"  
6.Personality-Loyal, Leader, stubborn, bad temper, sometimes shy, defensive of friends, athletic, loves dancing, really swears when pissed, uses foul language when ever friends are in danger, and takes charge of a situation when needs to. Doesn't have many friends, the authors are her largest group of friends  
7.Armor Bearer-Ryo of the Wildfire  
8.Other Information-Has her Belly Button pierced. Her eyes can change color depending on the weather and she wears a gold necklace with the Kanji charm of Virtue on it.  
  
  
Melody  
1.Melody "Mel" Mathers  
2.Age-18 years old.  
3.Hair-Dark blond two long strands of light purple.  
4.Eyes-Ice Blue  
5.Height-5'0"  
6.Personality-Jumps to conclusion, doesn't think much, loves baggy clothes, big tom-boy, whines like there is no tomorrow, acts like a piss-ant to people who pose a threat to her friends or herself, doesn't like to talk much, and will fight to the death for her friends. Scared stiff of Snakes, when angry, eyes will narrow and will think of bad things to do to the person who made her mad. Has a low attention span, hates being left out of things, and not smart at school.  
7.Armor Bearer-Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom  
8.Other Information-Wears a lot of silver bracelets. Has a small jewel in the center of her forehead and has a silver necklace with the Kanji charm of Piety on it.  
  
  
Melissa  
1.Melissa "Mel" Hart  
2.Age-19 years old  
3.Hair-Blond  
4.Eyes-Hazel  
5.Height-5'8"  
6.Personality-Likes to read, talkative around people she knows, shy around strangers. Intelligent, scatterbrained, and hates wearing make-up.  
7.Armor Bearer-Dais, Warlord of Illusion  
8.Other Information-Almost always wears her hair up in a ponytail. Wears glasses, one lens for near sidedness, the other for far sidedness. Wears a silver necklace with the Kanji charm of Serenity on it and silver ring with a garnet gemstone on her left hand. 


	2. Prologue

Partnership  
Isabel Night  
  
Prologue  
  
"Grandfather," nine-year-old Mia Koji asked, "can you tell me a story about the Nine Armors?"  
"There are so many stories," Dr. Koji smiled, "which one do you want to hear?"  
"One I haven't heard before," Mia smiled.  
Dr. Koji looked at his granddaughter, "alright," he smiled, "how about the story of the Partnership?"  
"What's that?" Mia asked.  
Dr. Koji smiled again, "when the great monk defeated the Demon Lord Talpa, he divided Talpa's armor into nine separate armors. Many generations went by, and Talpa reclaimed four of the armors, but the other five are still unclaimed. The Kami knew that war was inevitable when the other five armors were claimed, so they chose five unborn children to be "Partners" for five of the nine armor bearers. These five will be the ones who will change his or her armor bearer through their flaws, strengths, weaknesses, and personality."  
"Will partnership change the armor bearers, even if they work for Talpa?" Little Mia asked.  
"The bond of Partnership is total," Dr. Koji said as he looked at his granddaughter, "once they have recognized each other, there will be a spiritual bond. After that bond has been made, separation is almost impossible to handle. They are bound for as long as the bearer lives. Should the bearer die; then the bond is broken. The partner will still be alive, but they will grieve for his or her armor bearer"  
"How will I be able to recognize the "Partners"?" Mia asked.  
"They will wear a gold or silver necklace given to them by the Kami at birth," Dr. Koji explained, "The charm they wear on their necklace will be the virtue of their armor bearer."  
Mia smiled as she yawned. Dr. Koji put her to bed and turned out the lights. Dr. Koji wondered if the "Partnership" story was more than just a story. 


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Brian Schmidt was walking down a major street in Tokyo, Japan. He was planning to rendezvous with a friend of his, Cye Mouri, but couldn't seem to find him, 'I wonder where he is?' Brian thought, 'he's not the type to be running late.'  
Brian clutched his white-gold necklace and its charm. A black-haired nurse had given him the necklace on the day of his birth, and at 22 years old, he never took the necklace off. Brian looked at the charm of his necklace. When he was learning Japanese at school, he learned that his charm was a virtue, Trust to be exact. Brian looked at his watch and sighed. He did not see the subtle darkening of the sky.  
  
"Fuck this to hell and back," swore Melody "Mel" Mathers as she walked from her music class back to her dorm room with her roommate. Melody was an exchange student at the university learning about music. "I don't ever want a repeat of that episode."  
"Chill, Melody," her roommate smiled as they were walking, "it could be worse. At least you don't have to write a paper on ancient Japanese Imperial Court culture."  
Melody glared, "I don't know what's worse, Jazalyn, making an ass of yourself in front of the whole class, or writing a paper."  
Jazalyn Yeager smiled, "pick the lesser evil."  
Melody muttered an obscene word under her breath as they continued to their dorm room. After they dropped their books off, Melody looked out the window in their room. She clutched her silver necklace; holding the charm, Piety, in her palm. On the day Melody was born, a black haired woman who worked as a nurse gave her the necklace she was wearing. The simple act of clutching it made her feel comfortable. She had never worn the necklace outside of her shirt, until she met Jazalyn. When Jazalyn saw Melody's necklace, she showed her necklace as well. Jazalyn explained that the day she was born, she was given a gold necklace with the charm of Loyalty on it. She had always been proud to wear it and would never consider hiding it from the world.  
"Hey Mel," Jazalyn smiled, "you want to go out, get off campus for a while."  
"Sure," Melody smiled, "I'd like that."  
Both girls left the room, but Jazalyn noticed that the shading of the light was changing, 'its probably some clouds moving in,' she thought, 'nothing to worry about.'  
  
In the English Literature class, Sarah Greenwood was writing down ideas for the story she was going to write. Two rows behind her, Melissa Hart was planning out the characters to her story. Melissa was so determined to write a Fantasy novel that any other genre was out of the question. The Japanese teacher, Fumiko Yuto, got up from the desk, "This story must be your best work," she explained, "these stories will be published by the school and sold in the bookstore for other students to read."  
"Hai, sensei," the students responded.  
The teacher smiled, "class is dismissed."  
As the students were getting ready to go, Melissa walked over to Sarah, "How's the leadership conference?" She asked.  
"The same old stuff," Sarah sighed, "sometimes it gets boring. So I rub my charm for patience and endurance."  
Sarah looked at her necklace; it was a gold necklace with a gold charm. The charm had the Kanji of a virtue on it, Virtue to be exact.  
Melissa took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, she was bored out of her mind, but she took other classes to complete the agreement of the exchange program. Melissa put her glasses back on and clutched her silver necklace. It had always brought her comfort in times of trouble and even a small amount of acceptance. The charm was the Kanji of a virtue, Serenity to be exact. Melissa smiled; it was because of her necklace that she had met Sarah. It had shocked Melissa that Sarah had received her necklace the day she was born. Melissa had thought that it was just a coincidence that she would meet someone else with a similar necklace given to them on the day of their birth, but Melissa knew that it wasn't coincidence. The only problem was; she didn't know what it was.  
As Melissa and Sarah walked to their dorm room, Sarah smiled at something, "What are you smiling about?" Melissa asked.  
"Remember that poetry write off?" Sarah replied.  
"Yeah, I remember," Melissa smiled.  
"We won 1st place," Sarah remembered, "I was so happy."  
"Maybe Sensei Yuto will do another poetry write off," Melissa said.  
"I hope so," Sarah replied.  
When they got to their dorm room and dropped their books off, Sarah looked outside, "You want to go out for a little while?" She asked.  
"Why not," Melissa replied.  
"Then let's go," Sarah said.  
Neither of the two girls saw the sky become cloudy. 


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Jazalyn and Melody walked down one of the crowded streets in Downtown Tokyo. They were window-shopping, when Jazalyn sighed, "I don't have any new ideas. I wish I didn't have poet's block."  
Melody smiled, "you wrote some pretty cool poems in Sensei Choi's poetry write off before you got your "poet's block"."  
"We were a team," Jazalyn smiled, "your poetry helped us win 1st place too. So don't think it was just me."  
Melody snorted, "And who wrote "Tama Uta"?"  
"Okay," Jazalyn sighed, "So my poem won 1st place, but with out your poems, we would have never been considered for the poetry write off."  
Melody snorted again, "And who wrote "Kiyoko"?"  
"Alright," Jazalyn snapped, "you've made your point."  
Melody smiled, " "Toki Tora" was received better than I thought. We both earned 1st place, but your poems were the biggest success."  
"You can be annoying sometimes, Melody," Jazalyn sighed, "but you are a good poet."  
"Don't stress out," Melody teased, " or that gold hoop may come out of your nose."  
"And I may rip that jewel off your forehead if my nose hoop does come out," Jazalyn shot back.  
Suddenly, the sky became dark, "great, rain, and I didn't bring my umbrella," Melody whined.  
Suddenly, laughter was heard, "that's not rain," Jazalyn said as her eyes went wide.  
As soon as Melody and Jazalyn heard the laughter, the power went out. Everyone was running in a massive mob to find a place to hide. When Jazalyn and Melody saw the mob come their way, they ran toward the nearest alley. When they turned into the alley, they watch in horror at what was going on. Jazalyn knew it wasn't massive power failure, because the helicopters didn't run on the same power as the streetlights and the buildings did. So why were helicopters failing in mid-air if they didn't have the same power source? Jazalyn was ready to venture out, when a hand grabbed her arm, "You must not go out, mate, you could get trampled to death."  
Jazalyn spun around; she was in the alley with Melody, but there were two other girls and a young man. "I saw the crowds and pulled you, Melody, and the other two girls into the alley," the young man explained.  
"Thanks," Jazalyn said.  
"Don't mention it," the young man smiled. "By the way, I'm Brian Schmidt."  
"I'm Jazalyn Yeager," Jazalyn replied. "My friend with the two long purple strands of hair is Melody Mathers."  
"Hi," Melody smiled.  
The other two girls walked over to them, "I'm Sarah Greenwood, and this is my friend, Melissa Hart."  
Melissa turned red. Sarah looked at Melissa and smiled, "she's a totally different person once she knows you."  
After the introductions, Jazalyn noticed something, "it's quiet, too quiet."  
"What do you think?" Brian asked.  
"I think we should check it out," Sarah suggested.  
  
NOTES:  
1. Tama means Gem. Uta means Poem or Song. So the title of the poem Tama Uta means Gem Poem or Gem Song  
2. Kiyoko is a name. It means Purity Child or Clean Child. This poem was written by Jazalyn to discribe the ideal Japanese Woman.  
3. Toki means Timeless. Tora means Bravery. The poem Toki Tora means Timeless Bravery. Melody considers it one of her best poems. 


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The quiet streets of Downtown Tokyo wanted to make Jazalyn jump out of her skin. If this were a "normal" quiet, it wouldn't bother her. But this quiet was too eerie. As all five authors walked down the street, Jazalyn could smell smoke and sulfur, 'a Kijibe?' She thought, 'impossible, there are no smiths that work in an open-air shop in the middle of Downtown Tokyo. What's going on?'  
As they walked around, all five authors fathomed the aura around them, "this is creepy." Melissa said.  
"No fucking shit," Jazalyn whispered.  
"Watch your mouth!" Brian scolded.  
"Don't be so stiff." Melody shot back, "she only swears when she's in situations like this. Besides, we're not little kids."  
As they continued to walk, Sarah jumped at something, "what was that noise?"  
"I didn't hear anything," Brian replied.  
The noise became louder, "what is that fucking noise?" Melody said as she almost jumped.  
The noise came closer, "there is something," Jazalyn stated, "but I don't…"  
But before Jazalyn could say another word, a loud blast was heard, and chains sprung up from the ground. "What the Hell," Sarah shouted, as the chains forced them into a circle. Suddenly, they could hear laughter. Looking around, they saw someone standing in front of them with a weapon.  
"So five little lambs missed the slaughterhouse," the creature laughed.  
Jazalyn began to analyze the situation. The creature looked like someone or something in Feudal Japanese Samurai armor. The creature was carrying a scythe that had a weighted end. A chain connected the scythe to the weighted end. 'A Kusari-gama,' Jazalyn thought, 'but that's a weapon from Feudal Japan. Who is this oddball?'  
Melody was unimpressed, "what do you want, freak?"  
"Master Talpa requests your negative emotions," the armored being smiled.  
Melody laughed, "and your master may go fuck himself."  
Jazalyn smiled as everyone looked at Melody. She knew how to cause a riot.  
After the creature recovered from the shock, it laughed. "I think I'll cut that tongue out before I hand you to Master Talpa."  
Melody snorted, "You can talk the talk. Now walk the walk."  
The creature looked at Melody again, "I think I'll bring all five of you to Master Talpa now."  
As the creature threw the weighted end of his weapon at the five authors, a Katana blocked the weapon from reaching its intended target. "I always knew that the Dynasty could sink low," a young man in red armor said, "but I didn't think they would sink this low."  
All five authors looked at the boy in red armor, now this was getting too bizarre. The creature looked at the young man, "who are you?"  
The boy smiled, "I'm Ryo of the Wildfire. And you're a poor excuse for a Dynasty soldier"  
"Is that right, Wildfire?" the soldier smirked.  
"Maybe it is and maybe it isn't," another young man's voice was heard. The five authors looked up to see two young men in armor, jumping from the top of the nearest building. One of the boys was wearing a dark blue suit of armor, and the other boy was wearing a green suit of armor.  
"So this must be Halo and Strata," the soldier smiled.  
"That's not all of us," an Australian voice said.  
Brian turned around to find two more boys in armor. One boy was in orange and the other boy was in light blue.  
"Torrent and Hardrock," the soldier laughed, "Now that all five of you are here, I can destroy you easily."  
"I don't think so," Ryo said as the other four warriors withdrew their weapons.  
"Then prove it," the soldier laughed as he began to attack.  
The five authors watched the fierce battle. Jazalyn, Melody, and Sarah stared in frustration, the five boys needed their help, but they didn't know what to do. "I fucking hate this," Jazalyn raged.  
"I hate it too." Melody agreed, "I wish we could do something."  
"But what can you do?" Brian replied realistically.  
All three girls glared angrily at the young man.  
The fierce fighting continued. Everyone was sustaining wounds, and even though the fighting was fierce, there seemed to be no clear winner. That all changed when Ryo clicked the hilts of his two Katanas together and yelled, "Flare Up Now!"  
The energy blast caused a massive shockwave and searing bright lights. All the authors covered their eyes. They did not see the dying soldier throw up the Kusari-gama, but they did hear the soldier yell, "Gomen nasai, Dark Warlords!"  
When the lights faded, all five armor bearers looked at the authors, "you guys okay?" Ryo asked.  
"Ryo!" a concerned female voice called out.  
"Mia," Ryo yelled back, "were okay."  
Mia ran over the five boys, "I'm glad you're safe." Then Mia looked at the five unfamiliar faces, "I'm glad to see that you five were able to escape…" Mia started, until she noticed the necklaces the five authors were wearing. "Where did you get those necklaces?"  
Everyone clutched his or her own necklace charm, "I got mine on the day I was born," Jazalyn said.  
Brian looked at Jazalyn, "That's funny, I got my necklace on the day I was born as well."  
"Were you given your necklace by a black haired nurse?" Sarah asked.  
"Yes," Brian and Jazalyn said at the same time.  
"That's…" Sarah began, until she heard laughter.  
  
NOTES:  
1. Kijibe is a Smith  
2. Gomen nasai means "Forgive me" 


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Jazalyn, Brian, Melody, Sarah, and Melissa spun around to locate the source of laughter. It didn't take them very long for them to locate it. The laughter was loud, clear, and coming from someone who was standing on top of the nearest office building  
A hand had caught the Kusari-gama. Jazalyn shifted her gaze to see who was holding the weapon. Jazalyn was startled; the person who had caught the weapon was wearing a suit of armor that looked like a mythical Japanese Ogre. 'Now this is getting even more weird,' she thought.  
Three other men accompanied the Ogre armored man. One wore a suit of armor that looked like a spider, another wore a red and green suit of armor that looked like a snake, and the last one wore a brown suit of armor that looked like a wolf. All four men eyed their prey, "I've watched your battle," the Ogre armored warrior laughed, "You almost didn't make it. You five are very weak."  
Jazalyn smiled as she stepped into the Ogre armored warrior's line of view. She felt no fear when she said, "only one man's opinion."  
The Ogre armored warrior looked at the girl who had spoken to him in a defiant manner. She wasn't very tall, her eyes were blue-gray, and she had fair skin. She wore a short sleeve mid-thigh length shirt with indigo blue sweatpants, white socks, white sneakers, and a pair of small gold hoops in her ears. But what caught the warrior's eye was the color of the girl's hair; it was light brown with gold streaks and pushed back with what the mortals called a "headband". The headband was gold colored and looked like it was made out of metal, but the most noticeable feature was what the mortals called a "nose piercing". The girl wore a small gold hoop through her nose, and it looked good on her. "What is your name?" The Ogre armored warrior demanded.  
"I'm Jazalyn. And who are you?" She smirked.  
"We are the four Dark Warlords that serve the Emperor Talpa," the Ogre armored Warrior smiled, "I am their leader, Anubis, Master of Cruelty."  
"I am Cale, Warlord of Corruption," the brown armored warrior smiled.  
"I am Dais, Warlord of Illusion," the spider armored warrior responded.  
"I am Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom," the snake armored warrior smirked.  
Melody looked at Sekhmet, showing absolutely no fear, she stepped forward and said, "Okay boys, it's time to check yourselves into the mental hospital."  
Sekhmet laughed at Melody, "Who really needs to go?"  
Melody's eyes narrowed, but it was quickly replaced by a smile when she said, "why you four. The ward will always accept four fucking assholes who don't have their heads screwed on right."  
Sekhmet looked at Melody in shock; he had never heard anyone talk to him like that. Then he studied the brazen girl. She was as tall as the girl who called herself Jazalyn with long Dark Blond hair. But what really caught his attention were the two purple strands of hair, the same color as his eyelids. The girl had ice blue eyes and wore a jewel on her forehead. The girl also wore a mid-thigh short sleeve shirt, a pair of baggy pants the mortals called "jeans", white socks, a pair of white sneakers, thin silver bracelets, and small silver hoops in her ears. Sekhmet was impressed; this girl had spunk, fire, and was good looking. "What's your name?" Sekhmet asked.  
The girl smiled, "I'm Melody. What's it to you?"  
"You two have a sharp tongue," Dais commented.  
The verbal sparing came to an end when Jazalyn, Brian, Sarah, and Melody heard the sound of sharp, piercing laughter. Everyone turned to see Melissa laughing, "and you four don't?"  
Dais looked at Melissa, she was odd looking, but attractive. She was taller than Jazalyn and Melody, with blond hair, and Hazel eyes. Her hair was in a neat ponytail and she wore silver flower shaped earrings. Dais noticed that the girl wore a pair of straight "jeans", a plain white shirt, white socks, and white sneakers. Dais also noticed that she wore a silver ring on her left hand with a red stone on it, 'how can she afford a ring like that?' Dais wondered.  
Dais then noticed that Melissa wore what the mortals called "glasses". 'She must have a problem with her vision,' Dais thought, 'but at least she has both of her eyes.'  
Jazalyn, Melody, and Melissa glared at the four Warlords; they should have been terrified, but they weren't. Something within Jazalyn, Melody, and Melissa told them not to be afraid. However, that confidence went down the drain, when a loud crash of thunder was heard. Everyone looked up to see a transparent, floating head looking down at the five authors, Mia, and the five armored boys. "Welcome to my world, my dear pests," the head laughed, "I am Talpa. Ruler of the Nether Realm."  
Then, as if by magic, all four Warlords turned into spheres of light and flew up into the sky. To everyone's horror, a castle appeared in the clouds. 


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"Well," Melody sighed as she looked around, "I can officially say that all of us are fucked up."  
Brian looked at her with the 'don't swear' look. Then he looked at the five armored boys, "thank you for saving us."  
"Don't mention it," the boy in dark blue smiled. "By the way, I'm Rowen."  
"I'm Sage," the boy in green said formally.  
"I'm Kento," the boy in orange said in a friendly manner.  
Brian looked at the boy in light blue, "why don't you introduce yourself, Cye."  
"Brian!" Cye blushed, "don't embarrass me."  
"You two know each other?" Sarah asked.  
"Yes," Brian smiled, "in fact, I met Cye at a football game."  
"But the British don't have football," Melody stated.  
Jazalyn smiled, "it's the international term for soccer."  
"Oh," Melody blushed.  
Sarah looked around, "we'd better find some shelter."  
"Yeah," Jazalyn agreed, "we're sitting ducks out here."  
  
Dais, Anubis, Cale, and Sekhmet were standing in their master's throne room, "those five Ronin brats are weak," Anubis stated, "getting rid of them should be a snap."  
Cale smiled, "and what about those three upstarts, Anubis?"  
Anubis glared daggers at Cale, "the girl Jazalyn is mine."  
"And I hope you don't have any plans to gut Melody," Sekhmet threatened Cale, "Because she's mine."  
Cale laughed, "You two are pathetic."  
Dais ignored the conversation. His mind was wandering back to the girl with glasses who had laughed at him. What amazed Dais was that the girl, Jazalyn, and Melody didn't show any sign of fear around the Warlords. The young man and the other girl showed a little bit of fear, and even a bit of nervousness, but why not those three? It was almost as if they expected the Warlords to act in their usual manner, 'who was that girl?' Dais thought, 'and why didn't she show any signs fear? Is she crazy, or is it something else?'  
Then Dais remembered that the five non-combatants all wore necklace with a charm on it. But it was the charm that the girl with glasses was wearing that struck his attention. 'So it was the virtue of Serenity,' Dais thought, 'that doesn't mean anything.'  
"Dark Warlords," Talpa's voice boomed.  
"Yes master," all four Warlords chorused.  
"These five Ronin Warriors could be a problem for us," Talpa said, "I want them eliminated."  
"Let me go and kill the upstarts, Master" Anubis supplicated.  
Dais laughed, "Those five children could be more trouble than you think, Anubis."  
Anubis rose to Dais' challenge "As if you don't have any problems dealing with a certain young lady."  
Dais whirled around, "How did you know that?"  
Anubis smiled, "I know you're thinking about that girl who laughed at you. Don't worry about it. I remember her face. Once I kill those Ronin Brats, I can get her for you."  
Dais snarled, "she's mine Anubis, you touch her and I will personally gut you."  
"Then you won't touch Jazalyn," Anubis smiled in triumph.  
"ENOUGH!" Talpa boomed, "If those three girls interest you. The least you can do is find out their names."  
"But master," Dais said, "I don't know that girl's name."  
Talpa laughed, "Then watch and learn."  
Suddenly a screen appeared in front of the Warlords. "That's her," Dais said, recognizing Melissa.  
"Watch," Talpa commanded.  
  
"I only know Brian," Cye replied, "but I think don't I know anyone else."  
Jazalyn smiled, "I'm Jazalyn, the girl with the two purple strands of hair is Melody, the one with the Belly Button piercing is Sarah, and the one with glasses is Melissa."  
"Pleased to meet you Cye," Melissa smiled.  
Sarah kept looking around, "do any of you have the feeling that we're being watched?"  
"Yeah," Melody shivered, "and it doesn't feel right."  
"Its probably nothing," Rowen commented.  
"I hope you're right," Jazalyn muttered.  
  
Dais smiled, Melissa. That sounded like a pretty name. Cale was completely surprised when Anubis, Dais, and Sekhmet got down on one knee. "Master," Dais supplicated, "I ask for the girl Melissa."  
"I ask for Jazalyn," Anubis asked.  
"And I ask for Melody," Sekhmet pleaded.  
Talpa would have laughed; this would work to his advantage. "Very well," he replied, "they are yours."  
Cale glared as Anubis, Sekhmet, and Dais grinned. 


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
As everyone was hiding in the underground metro station, Mia asked about how the authors got their necklaces. "I was born in a military hospital on the Big Island of Hawai'i," Jazalyn started, "The black haired nurse that I told you about was the first nurse to see my mother go into labor. With her help, my mother's labor wasn't very long, and I was born a healthy baby. Then the black haired nurse took me into the nursery. That was how I got my necklace. When my father asked her why I was wearing a necklace they didn't buy for me, she told my father that this necklace was important and it was in my best interests to keep it on."  
"Do you remember the nurse's name?" Mia asked.  
"My father told me her name was Ame," Jazalyn remembered.  
"That sounds like a Japanese name," Mia mused.  
"Sounds familiar," Sarah said.  
"This is very odd," Mia said.  
"How?" Brian asked.  
"Have any of you ever heard of the Partnership myth?" Mia asked.  
"I think I've heard about it," Brian frowned, "but I can't be sure."  
Mia sighed, "according to the Partnership myth. Five people are chosen to be partners for five of the nine armor bearers. From the charms, Brian and Sarah are Ryo and Cye's partners, but I don't know who the partners for Jazalyn, Melody, and Melissa are."  
"Is there some ceremony we have to go through?" Melody asked.  
"The actual process of the armor bearer and the partner's soul being bound together is not complicated," Mia smiled, "the simple act of partner and armor bearer touching each other on the hand or wrist will fulfill the requirement."  
"So, do you think we should do the ceremony now?" Ryo asked, startling Mia.  
"Yes," Mia sighed, "it would save us a lot of trouble and agony if we did it right now".  
"Okay," Sarah smiled as she looked at Brian.  
Ryo and Cye stood side by side and held out their right hand. Sarah and Brian walked over to their partners and placed their hands into their armor bearer's hands. The minute Sarah's hand met Ryo's hand everything went spinning. Sarah's felt like her mind was going to explode, she felt colors swirl around her, vivid shades of red and orange danced around her as she felt her soul blaze with an endless burning fire. She could feel threads from her soul reach out and connect with the threads in Ryo's soul. In the confusion, Sarah screamed in pain, as she was being burned and purified by the flames of the Wildfire armor. She barely noticed Ryo's painful screams and Cye's cries of suffocation, as if he were being plunged into water for purification. But she did hear Brian painfully gasping for air, as if he were being plunged into warm water and couldn't hold his breath.  
When Sarah couldn't take it anymore, she passed out, but she never hit the ground. Instead, Ryo was supporting her in his arms. When the pain in Ryo and Cye subsided, Sarah and Brian were laid carefully on the ground. "Thank the gods that's over with," Ryo sighed.  
"You two aren't seriously hurt?" Rowen asked.  
"No," Cye replied, "I guess it's more painful for the partners than the armor…"  
Suddenly, everyone could hear loud clanking footsteps.  
  
NOTES:  
1. Ame is the Sun Goddess Ameterasu. 


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
The loud footsteps startled Brian and Sarah from their sleep, "What was that?" Sarah asked.  
"It sounded like footsteps," Brian said.  
"Thank you for stating the obvious," Melody glared, "now answer me this, who do those footsteps belong to?"  
The Ronins began to push the authors away from the noise, but it only grew louder. "This doesn't feel right," Jazalyn muttered.  
"No kidding," Melissa whispered.  
Suddenly, a figure appeared on the ceiling of the metro station, Jazalyn immediately recognized the figure as Anubis. 'Shit,' she thought, 'it looks like we can't run this time.'  
'Good,' Anubis thought, 'everyone is here.' "It's time to die Ronin Warriors," he grinned maliciously.  
"Fuck off," Sarah yelled.  
Brian looked at Sarah, 'why is it that Melissa and I are the only ones with a clean mouth?'  
"I admire your determination," Anubis smirked, "but it will get you nowhere."  
"And your mouth is getting us nowhere," Jazalyn shot back, "if you're going to do something, then do it."  
Anubis glared, Jazalyn was too blunt, but he wouldn't want it any other way. "Very well, prepare to die Ronin brats."  
"Call the circle," Ryo ordered, "protect Jazalyn, Sarah, Melody, Melissa, and Brian."  
"You got it mate," Cye replied.  
The five authors felt a sense of comfort as the circle was being made. After the star pentagram was called, the Ronins attacked.  
Brian and Sarah were frustrated because their partners were getting trashed and they couldn't do anything about it, 'maybe that's how the partnership system works?' Brian thought, 'we help the armor bearers develop as a person, and in return, they protect us from harm.'  
Jazalyn watched in horror, 'we've got to do something. I may not know the fine details of partnership, but I know that it will be psychological hell for Sarah and Brian if Ryo and Cye get killed.'  
"Damn it!" Sarah yelled in frustration, "why can't we get to them?"  
"Because they don't want us to," Melissa replied.  
"Fuck what they want," Melody shot back, "we've got to help them."  
Suddenly, as if by magic, all five authors heard the chiming of a staff. Much to everyone's relief, the pentagram disappeared. "Call your armors," Sarah yelled.  
"You got it," Ryo smiled, "Armor of Wildfire, Tao Jin."  
As everyone armored up, Anubis looked amused, 'this should be interesting.'  
As soon as everyone armored up, the battle was became more intense. The Ronins were getting trashed, but thankfully, Sarah and Brian could get to Ryo and Cye. As all five armor bearers were on the ground, exhausted, Anubis smiled in triumph, "you five brats are weak."  
"And you're a fucking asshole," Sarah bit out.  
Anubis glared, "I think I'll kill you first, girl."  
But before he could take a step toward Sarah, Jazalyn inserted herself between the two, "You're not going to touch her."  
"Get out of my way," Anubis hissed.  
Jazalyn glared, "I'm not afraid of you. The mind games won't work."  
Anubis reached out grab Jazalyn, but she grabbed his wrist in an attempt to stop him. What happened next was something neither of them could explain. 


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
The minute contact happened, Jazalyn felt a gust of wind blow through her mind. The wind kept blowing and she started to shiver. Her body was trying to deal with a cool spring breeze blowing through her mind. 'So weird,' Jazalyn tried to think, 'this wind is cooling my body temperature. If I don't do something soon, I'll go into shock.'  
Suddenly, the breeze stopped and the ground began to rumble. Jazalyn pushed down a scream when she saw her soul being held captive by chains popping up from the ground. As the chains restrained her, she felt a jolt of pink lightning go through the chains. Jazalyn grimaced, but when the pink electricity hit her soul, she felt like it was on fire. When Jazalyn couldn't take it anymore, she let out an ear-piercing scream.  
Anubis' mind became hazy while the pink lightning tearing through his body and soul. It was too painful to think, but he could hear Jazalyn screaming. 'That noise,' he thought in a haze of pain, 'it's nothing new; I've heard people scream before, but why is this different? Is it because we are connected? Is she is my partner?'  
As Anubis' mind began to process what was going on, he felt as if his soul on fire. When he realized why he was feeling the soul-burning sensation, he knew, 'she is my partner. I have to get her out of here, or else she'll die.'  
Anubis became conscious when Jazalyn began to swoon, 'she's going to pass out,' Anubis realized. With one swift movement, Anubis caught Jazalyn in his arms. Then he looked at everyone else, "she must come with me."  
"Like Hell she's coming with you," Sarah snapped.  
"Put her down on the ground, gently," Melody ordered, "or I may enjoy ripping you to pieces."  
"You heard Sarah," Ryo said, withdrawing his two Katanas, "put her down on the ground, and we promise we'll let you walk."  
"No," Anubis replied.  
Rowen fired an arrow that landed in front of Anubis, "that was a warning shot," he said in a serious tone, "put her down on the ground and no one gets hurt."  
Anubis gently laid Jazalyn on the ground. As Anubis backed away, he began to chant something. Suddenly, a black tornado came spinning into the underground metro station sweeping up the five Ronin Warriors. "You bitch," Sarah yelled.  
"If I can't have my partner," Anubis smiled, "then you can't have yours. Soon this black tornado will crush the five Ronin Warriors and you and that pathetic boy won't have any partners to deal with."  
"You piece of shit," Melody growled.  
"I am willing to exchange," Anubis smiled, "Jazalyn for the five Ronin Warriors."  
Sarah glared at Anubis, "be careful," Brian whispered, "this is a devil's bargain."  
Melody looked around, hoping for something to happen. As if someone granted her wish, Melody, Melissa, Sarah, and Brian heard the chiming of a staff. The Ronins turned into spheres of light and flew out of the tornado. Anubis screamed in rage, "sorry," Melissa smiled, "if Sarah and Brian don't have their partners, then you don't get yours."  
Anubis left the battlefield in a fit of rage and teleported back to the Dynasty castle. While back in the metro station, the authors waited for Jazalyn to wake up. They would need all five minds to find their partners. 


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
"Nice going Anubis," Cale smirked, "you let five unarmed weaklings best you at your own game."  
"Shut up," Anubis growled.  
"Pathetic," Dais smirked, "you had your chance, and you blew it."  
"Something came up," Anubis shot back, "but it won't happen again."  
"What exactly "came up" Anubis?" Sekhmet sneered.  
'I can't tell them that I have a partner,' Anubis thought, 'Jazalyn could be used as a weapon against me, and I can't put her in danger.' "I heard chiming," Anubis finished.  
The other three Warlords looked at Anubis, "what do you mean by chiming?" Dais asked.  
"I thought I heard the chiming of a monk's staff," Anubis replied.  
"Then that means the monk has come to help the Ronin Warriors," Talpa's voice boomed, startling the Warlords so that they would stand at attention.  
"Master," Sekhmet asked, "will those five unarmed pests try to find the Ronin Warriors?"  
Talpa almost laughed, "The Ronin Warriors are more important than those five pests. After you have destroyed them, the other five are yours to deal with."  
"Master," Anubis kneeled, "will the earlier claims still hold?"  
"Yes," Talpa replied, "why do you ask Anubis?"  
"I just wanted to reaffirm my claim," Anubis replied.  
  
Jazalyn opened her eyes to find Melody and Sarah looking down at her, "you okay?" Melody asked.  
"Other than going through the weirdest experience in my life," Jazalyn muttered, "I'm fine."  
"I'm worried about your mental state," Sarah said, "What in the nine levels of Hell were you thinking?"  
"Take a wild guess," Jazalyn stated.  
Sarah sighed, "you could have been killed."  
"And you would have been killed if I hadn't stepped in," Jazalyn said in an annoyed manner, "you're going to have to get use to the fact that I'm fiercely protective of my friends."  
"Or loyal to a fault," Sarah muttered.  
"AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH LOYALTY?" Jazalyn yelled, "IT SAVED YOUR LIFE."  
"Okay," Brian said, cutting the two girls off, "we now have to find our partners"  
"Did anyone recognize the direction they flew out?" Melissa asked.  
"I did." Mia replied, "I saw Ryo fly out of the tornado toward the direction of Mount Fuji."  
"Then let's go," Sarah smiled. 


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Mia and the five authors walked outside of the metro station and found a jeep that didn't lose power when Talpa invaded Tokyo. The jeep was red and looked very comfortable, "Thank goodness we have a vehicle to drive." Mia sighed, "It would have taken us forever if we had to walk."  
"Good," Melody sighed, "I hate walking long distances."  
Mia got into the driver's seat while Brian took the passenger seat. Melody, Jazalyn, Melissa, and Sarah each took a back seat. Mia started up the jeep and they were on their way. Jazalyn closed her eyes, she should be able to relax with the wind blowing in her and the promise of being able to find Sarah's partner, but she didn't. All she kept thinking about what happened in the metro station, 'so, Anubis is my partner,' Jazalyn mused mentally, 'then this is going to get more complicated than I thought. I know that it's going to be difficult, especially when partner and armor bearer are on different sides, but I'm just going to have to do what's in Anubis' best interest. Even if it means I have to engage him in single combat.'  
Jazalyn closed her eyes, tuning out Melody's annoying "Are we there yet?" question. Suddenly, she could feel the ground move, but it wasn't coming from the car. Turning around and looking in all directions, Jazalyn saw nothing. A few minutes later, Jazalyn heard the rumbling again. Unbuckling her seatbelt, Jazalyn looked behind her only to find a large group of chariots following behind them. "Uh, Mia," Jazalyn stammered.  
"Yes," Mia replied.  
"Adjust your rear view mirror and tell me what you see," Jazalyn replied.  
When Mia adjusted the mirror, she saw an arrow being fired, 'Uh oh,' Mia thought.  
"What's going on?" Melissa asked sleepily. When she saw the arrow land next to her, Melissa became wide-awake and started to shake Sarah so she could get up.  
"What is it?" Sarah mumbled sleepily.  
Melissa pulled out the arrow that had landed next to her seat and showed it to Sarah. "Mia!" Sarah yelled, "Hit the damn accelerator. Everyone else, duck. This could get ugly." 


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
The arrows were flying everywhere; Jazalyn yanked Melody from her seat and onto the car floor. When Melody hit the ground, Jazalyn covered her body over Melody's body to form a human shield. Sarah grabbed Melissa and shoved her onto the ground. After Sarah told Melissa not to get up, she covered Melissa's body with her own body to form another human shield.  
Brian ducked under the seat as Mia began to pick up speed. Brian wanted to get to the girls, but Mia's hand on his shoulder seemed to tell him that the girls were going to be fine. Brian smiled at Mia who smiled back at him, 'I hope she can make it,' he thought, 'because we're all going to die if she doesn't.'  
  
Anubis was in the lead chariot; those five non-combatants were a strange bunch, especially the one called Sarah and his partner Jazalyn. Through a viewing orb he always carried, he had seen Sarah and Jazalyn use themselves as human shields to protect the girl Melody and the other girl Melissa. He admired Sarah's and Jazalyn's bravery, 'perhaps these five weaklings aren't as weak as we thought.'  
Anubis continued to press forward; he knew they were going toward Mt. Fuji. Anubis gained speed, he wanted to kill Wildfire before he could wake up and revive the other five Ronin Warriors. But these five non-combatants could cause a problem, 'If I didn't know any better,' Anubis thought, 'I believe that these five function like the Ronin Warriors. All five function as one. Well, they'll never cycle whole once I have taken Jazalyn. Once I know she's safe within the castle walls, I'll bring Melody and Melissa to Sekhmet and Dais. Then I'll get rid of that little bitch Sarah and Torrent's partner.'  
Anubis laughed; everything was falling into place. "Hold," he told the archers, "They will lead me to Wildfire. They must remain alive so that Wildfire may be killed."  
"Hai," the archers replied.  
Anubis laughed and picked up speed, it was only a matter of time until they reached Mt. Fuji.  
  
Jazalyn was the first to realize that arrows weren't being fired, 'something's up,' she thought, 'if that was a Dynasty attack, then…NO!'  
"Mia!" Jazalyn yelled, "stop the jeep!"  
"Why?" Melody asked.  
"The archers stopped firing," Jazalyn began, "this was a set-up to find Ryo. We've just lead a Warlord to Ryo's resting place."  
"Goddamn it!" Sarah yelled, "I'll bet it was Anubis, that son of a bitch. He's not killing my partner."  
"Fuck him to Hell and back," Melody raged, "I'm going to personally ring Anubis' neck."  
Jazalyn glared, "that's my job." Then Jazalyn looked around, ignoring Melody's surprised look, "any ideas on what to do?"  
When Jazalyn didn't get an answer, Brian, who sat back down on the passenger seat immediately after the arrows stopped firing, looked at Jazalyn and said, "we can only do what we can when the time comes."  
"I knew that wasn't helpful," Melody snorted.  
"He's right," Melissa said, looking around as if she were being distracted, "we can't go back, we can only go forward."  
  
In the Volcano, Ryo could feel the five authors. More precisely, he could feel his partner. She was angry, and Ryo wasn't there to help her. 'I have to get up,' he thought, still in comatose sleep, 'I have to get to Sarah.' 


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
Jazalyn, Melody, Sarah, Melissa, Brian, and Mia started up the path toward the top of Mt. Fuji. Walking the path didn't bother Jazalyn; when she lived on the Big Island, she would always walk up the path to the top of Kilauea Crater to make offerings to Pele, the most well known goddess in the state of Hawai'i, but this was different. She was trekking up a volcano, knowing that Anubis would be looking for them and Ryo. 'I know that he's my partner,' Jazalyn thought, 'but I can't let him hurt the others. I guess Melissa was right, I can only do what I can at the appropriate time.'  
Sarah looked toward the top of the volcano; she was going to personally going to run Anubis through if he ever pulled a stunt like that again. 'He's going to kill my partner over my dead body,' Sarah thought as she looked at everyone else.  
Melissa could feel the tension in the air, it was very obvious, but if you were quiet and weren't thinking about anything too hard you could hear it. Suddenly, Mia and the five authors heard the sound of two weapons clashing. "Shit," Jazalyn and Sarah said in unison.  
"Looks like they found each other," Brian said in a low tone.  
"Duh!" Melody replied.  
Everyone ran toward the sound of the battle.  
  
Anubis and Ryo were engaged in fierce combat, the Wildfire boy was stronger than he expected, in fact, the boy was putting up quite a fight, but he was losing to a much stronger opponent. "Give up and die with some decency, Wildfire," Anubis smirked.  
"Wishful thinking," Ryo gritted.  
"Then die Ronin brat," Anubis grinned as he raised his weapon.  
"Over my dead body," a female voice yelled, startling the Warlord.  
Anubis and Ryo turned to find Sarah, Jazalyn, and everyone else standing behind them.  
"Drop the weapon," Sarah demanded.  
Anubis smiled, "So I see your little partner has come to die with you, Wildfire."  
"She's not going to die," Ryo glared and leapt forward.  
At the same moment, Anubis jumped up into the air and yelled, "Quake With Fear!"  
The ground began to rumble as many beams of red light came from the ground. The red beams became chains and everyone except Jazalyn and Ryo was being held prisoner. The shockwave of the attack left Ryo with only one Katana, but the other one fell at Jazalyn's feet. Jazalyn gently picked the Katana up as she watched Anubis walk towards a now chained up Sarah. Jazalyn looked at Ryo, 'I hope he can distract him long enough so I can stop Anubis.'  
Ryo crept up behind Anubis as Jazalyn moved sideways. Ryo gave out a battle yell and leapt toward Anubis. The Warlord of Cruelty countered the blow, but left his back and shoulders exposed. Without any thinking, Jazalyn stabbed Anubis in shoulder blade, causing Anubis to grimace and cry out in pain. 'I hope I've distracted him long enough so that the others can get free,' Jazalyn prayed.  
With blood coming from the wound in steady streams, Anubis turned to find Jazalyn holding the weapon that stabbed him. "Why?" Anubis whispered.  
Jazalyn held onto the sword with a death grip, "you may be my partner, but I can't let you hurt my friends. I'm only doing this for your well being."  
Everyone just looked shocked; Anubis was Jazalyn's partner! 'If that doesn't take the cake, then I don't know what will,' Sarah thought.  
Anubis staggered; he was losing blood fast, "you're loyal to your friends," he smiled, "now save Wildfire."  
With that, Anubis leapt toward the lip of the volcano, tackling Ryo, and holding him over the lava. "I give you a choice," he breathed, trying not to black out, "come with me, or I will drop Wildfire into the volcano."  
Jazalyn still had a death grip on the Katana. As she slowly advanced toward Anubis, she said, "You won't do that."  
"Why not?" Anubis smiled, trying to shake off his blurry vision.  
"Because," Jazalyn began, "if you throw him in, I'm going in after him."  
"You will not…" Anubis began. Then he blacked out.  
Ryo was able to yank away as Anubis collapsed to the ground. Jazalyn walked over to Anubis and began to tear some strips of his overcoat off and use it to bandage the wound. When Jazalyn was sure she had enough layers to make a thick, sturdy bandage that would soak up all the blood, she tore a long strip off his overcoat to tie the many layers together. Jazalyn then checked for a pulse and to see if Anubis was breathing. When she confirmed that he had a pulse and was breathing, she walked away. "Why did you bandage him up?" Melody asked.  
"He's my partner," Jazalyn replied, "I couldn't let him die."  
The rest of the way down was silent. 


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD'S GREEN EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?" Sarah yelled at Jazalyn. Everyone was in the car when Mia suggested going to Sengoku University to get some information. Since Sengoku University was the university that Jazalyn, Melissa, Melody, and Sarah were studying at, the authors wanted to get some personal stuff before heading out.  
"Pick," Jazalyn muttered.  
"Pulling a stunt like that could have gotten you killed," Sarah raged.  
"And Anubis would have killed you if I hadn't interfered," Jazalyn shot back.  
"Does this happen a lot?" Ryo whispered to Melissa.  
"It's already happened twice today," Melissa shook her head, "both girls are fiercely protective of their friends. I'm afraid that with all this danger around, someone isn't going to die of a battle wound."  
"Then what are they going to die from?" Ryo asked.  
"A heart attack," Melissa smiled.  
When Mia pulled up on campus, everyone got out of the jeep. Mia, Brian and Ryo went to Dr. Koji's office, while the Jazalyn, Melissa, Sarah, and Melody went to their dorm rooms.  
  
'Okay,' Jazalyn thought, 'I have enough gauze, dressings, small band-aids, antibiotic ointment, plastic bags, ice, blankets, bottles of water, and other important stuff I need for First Aid.' After slinging the First Aid bag into her book bag, Jazalyn grabbed a large blank book so she could write, and several black ballpoint pens. After all three things were in her book bag, Jazalyn closed the bag and slung the one strap book bag over her back and secured it. As Jazalyn went to her nightstand, she looked at the only picture she had of her mother. Jazalyn sighed; her mother had died of cancer when she was 2 years old and her father had never remarried. Sometimes Jazalyn wondered if it was a blessing or a curse to look like your deceased mother. From what her father had told her, she had her mother's face shape and hair color. Well, she wasn't too sure about the hair color; in the picture, her mother wore a curly, medium brown wig. A clear testament that the Chemotherapy treatment her mother was receiving had left her bald. Jazalyn picked up the picture, 'I want to make you proud mom,' she thought, 'if you're watching me, I want you to be proud of me.'  
Jazalyn's thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her door, "I'm coming," she yelled.  
When she opened the door, she was greeted by Melissa's smiling face, "Can I come in?"  
"Sure," Jazalyn smiled back.  
When Melissa entered, she asked Jazalyn, "do you want to talk about that fight you two had in the jeep?"  
Jazalyn sighed, "Sarah's going to have to get used to the fact that I'm fiercely protective of my friends."  
"We can't have you two butting heads over everyone's safety," Melissa said finally.  
Jazalyn sighed as she sank onto her bed, "What do you want to know?" She asked.  
"I want to hear your reason," Melissa said.  
"My reason?" Jazalyn asked, puzzled.  
"Yes," Melissa replied, "I know why Sarah is protective of her friends, but I don't know why you are."  
"Tell me Sarah's reason first," Jazalyn asked.  
Melissa sighed, "Sarah is an orphan. All her life, she's been moved from one foster home to another. She's never really had a stable family in her life, much less friends. I guess when you live with the constant fear of never being able to keep friends, you tend to hold to the ones you do have with a tight grip."  
Jazalyn smiled sadly, "my excuse isn't so clear cut. I've always been fiercely protective of my friends, even when I was little. My dad is the same way. I guess you could say it runs in the family."  
Melissa smiled, "I want you two to realize that neither of you are all-powerful. You cannot be everywhere all the time."  
Jazalyn smiled, "do you know how many people have told me that?"  
"No," Melissa replied.  
"You told me the same thing that I have been told all my life," Jazalyn replied.  
"And it hasn't sunk in?" Melissa smiled.  
"I'm stubborn," Jazalyn replied, "and you know what that means."  
"That you don't listen," Melissa laughed.  
"Exactly," Jazalyn smiled.  
  
Melody walked out onto the quad, the grassy area was comforting. It was on the quad where she would write her poems and think about the types of books she would write. Melody imagined all the prestige an author with a bestseller would have, and hoped one day to write a book that would make it on the bestsellers list. Melody suddenly pushed those thoughts out of her head when she thought she was being watched.  
  
Dais, Cale, and Sekhmet were in the throne room, looking at the five authors. Apparently, they had underestimated these five non-combatants. When Anubis had returned to the castle, he was a mess; Wildfire's Katana had cut him deep in the shoulder. But what really shook the three remaining Warlords was the fact that the clean, well-aimed blow was delivered not by Wildfire, but the girl Jazalyn. They could have teased Anubis for his failure, but when he passed out from so much blood loss right in front of them, the remaining three Warlords had to send him to the Healer immediately. The Healer assured Talpa that Anubis would recover, but that he must stay out of action for a while. Needless to say, Talpa was not happy, but he accepted the Healer's words and summoned the remaining Warlords to the throne room. "Anubis will not be able to fight the Ronin Warriors with his injury," Talpa informed his Warlords, "So I choose Sekhmet to destroy the Ryo of the Wildfire, before he can revive the others."  
"It would be my pleasure, sire," Sekhmet bowed.  
"Be careful," Cale smirked, "or you may end up like Anubis."  
Sekhmet glared, "they are weak, the girl Jazalyn got lucky."  
"That wasn't luck," Dais mused, "this Jazalyn knows how to think on her feet. If we aren't careful, we could end up like Anubis."  
"Are you afraid of them?" Cale teased.  
"I'm just cautious," Dais replied.  
"Don't worry," Sekhmet replied, ignoring Dais and Cale, "I will not fail you master." 


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
Sarah was in her dorm room gathering up her large blank poetry book and some blue ballpoint pens. While she was gathering her writing materials, she thought about Jazalyn, 'She needs to stop throwing herself into danger,' Sarah sighed heavily, 'I don't question her loyalty, but I'm worried about her crazy, son-of-a-bitch partner. I just hope she doesn't do anything suicidal in an attempt to protect us from the Warlords.'  
As Sarah continued to pack, she heard Melissa walk in. "I talked to Jazalyn," she informed Sarah, "I heard both sides of the story."  
"What did she say?" Sarah snorted.  
"Genetics," Melissa said flatly.  
"Just fucking great," Sarah raged, "she's going to get herself killed by her own DNA."  
"She's just protecting her friends," Melissa stated.  
"And she's going to end up getting captured by her asshole partner or she's going to get buried six feet underground," Sarah said flatly.  
"You do have to agree that she saved your life back at the volcano," Melissa reminded Sarah.  
"She was lucky she didn't get killed or kidnapped," Sarah responded.  
Melissa sighed, "you and Jazalyn are going to have to realize that neither of you are all-powerful."  
Sarah glared at Melissa, but said nothing. When Melissa got up, she noticed that the leaves outside were turning brown. "Sarah," she asked, "what season are we in?"  
"Spring," Sarah sighed. "Why do you ask?"  
"The leaves are turning brown and falling off their branches," Melissa replied.  
"Well," Sarah sighed again, "we are in a drought."  
Suddenly, there was a loud pounding outside Sarah and Melissa's door. When Melissa opened the door, Jazalyn came bursting in. "Did you two look outside?" She panted.  
"I saw the leaves falling off the trees," Melissa said flatly.  
"It's probably the drought catching up with…" Sarah began, until all three girls smelled something.  
Jazalyn sniffed hard, "That's not autumn air," she replied.  
Sarah sniffed, "it's got a strange odor."  
"It smells acidic," Melissa replied.  
"If that's not autumn air and it smells acidic," Jazalyn said, "then that means…OH SHIT!"  
"What?" Sarah replied.  
"Sekhmet's here," Jazalyn concluded.  
Melissa, Jazalyn, and Sarah ran toward the quad as fast as their legs could carry them.  
  
Melody stood face-to-face with Sekhmet. She had been startled by his presence, but was smart enough to move away from his descending Katana blades. Melody's heart pounded, she felt a rush of adrenaline at the thought of coming face-to-face with her enemy. "So you showed up," Melody panted.  
"I don't have time for you," Sekhmet growled, "get out of my way before I kill you."  
Melody's eyes glittered with defiance, "I'm not going to let you hurt the others. So leave."  
"Not when I have a job to do," Sekhmet smiled.  
"Then take an early retirement you fucking asshole," Melody smiled, still high on adrenaline.  
Sekhmet raised his blades, and as they descended toward Melody, she made an X with her wrists, blocking the hilts. Melody struggled to block the blades as Sekhmet used his weight to push downward, 'I hope I can come out of this alive,' Melody thought, 'because this asshole is too insane to let me live.'  
In a flash, Melody uncrossed her wrists and grabbed Sekhmet's wrists. Neither she nor Sekhmet realized what was going to happen next. 


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
When skin to armor contact happened, Melody felt a cool autumn breeze going through her mind. As she began to shiver, she felt a liquid crawl up her soul. The liquid that was crawling up her soul had a funny smell to it, but when she realized the feeling, Melody cringed, 'it burns,' she thought.  
Melody let go of Sekhmet's wrists and began to hug herself. She hugged herself tighter as the liquid seeped through. Suddenly, the liquid hit Melody's soul and she let out an ear-piercing scream. The liquid was burning her soul, as if it were setting it on fire. Melody hugged herself tighter; her body was threatening to release the contents in her stomach because of the pain. It burned so badly, why did it have to hurt so much?  
Sekhmet felt like he had lost all immunity to his poisons and toxins. Every part of his body felt like it was on fire. The venom was burning him, a burn that felt like a purification fire. Sekhmet shuddered as he heard Melody' s strangled scream, 'why should that bother me?' He thought, 'I've heard and done worse things.'  
Suddenly, Sekhmet and Melody felt like they had been submerged into a pool of venom. Melody let out another strangled, ear-piercing scream and Sekhmet instinctively tried to comfort her, 'she's my partner,' Sekhmet realized, 'I have to get her to Master Talpa's castle.'  
When Sekhmet came to, he saw Melody swoon. When she passed out from the pain and shock, Sekhmet caught her in his arms. As he looked at Melody, a question rose up within Sekhmet, how would she react when he took his helmet off? He knew that because of the way he looked, people were afraid of him. But as a Warlord, it never bothered Sekhmet, until now. He could ask Dais to make him a disguise potion, but for some odd reason, Sekhmet didn't want to start his partnership with Melody based on a lie. His thoughts were quickly cut off when he heard a female voice say, "Put her down."  
Sekhmet quickly turned to see Melissa, Jazalyn, and Sarah standing together. "I said put her down," Sarah threatened.  
Sekhmet laughed, "And what are you going to do about it?"  
"Why you little…" Sarah began, until Melissa cut her off.  
Sekhmet eyed Jazalyn, the girl had proven herself to be a potential threat, but he felt something strange. Sekhmet felt Jazalyn's power, but he could also feel her partner's power, 'Anubis is Jazalyn's partner!' Sekhmet realized, 'that's why he said something came up. He was trying to protect Jazalyn from being used as a pawn. Well, it doesn't matter; I won't let anyone use Melody as a weapon against me, I'll bring Jazalyn and Melody with me into the Dynasty and win Master Talpa's praise.'  
Sekhmet smiled, "do you really think you can stand up to me?"  
"Put her down," Sarah threatened again.  
Sekhmet smiled as he gently placed Melody on the ground, "I'll be back for my partner and Jazalyn," he smirked. "Besides," he continued, "I've already secured the fate of Wildfire."  
"What do you mean?" Sarah demanded.  
"Room 312, Takayori Center," Sekhmet laughed, before he teleported away. 


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
Jazalyn walked over to Melody and kneeled down beside her, 'I hope she's okay,' Jazalyn thought, 'I don't want to find out she's dead.' Jazalyn then placed her first two fingers over the vein in her neck, 'good,' she thought, 'Melody has a pulse.'  
But when she listened for signs of breathing, she found none. 'Un oh,' Jazalyn thought, 'this is not good.'  
Suddenly, a large crash was heard from the Takayori Center, "What was that?" Melissa asked.  
"Shit," Sarah cursed, "Sekhmet's gift to us."  
"You two go on ahead." Jazalyn replied, "I have to stay with Melody."  
"Be safe," Sarah nodded, as she ran to the Takayori Center with Melissa right behind her.  
Jazalyn pinched Melody's nose, titled her chin, and opened her mouth, 'I hope you don't kill me for this,' she thought as she proceeded to give mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing.  
  
Ryo was in Dr. Koji's office, the Doctor was possessed by spirit from the Dynasty and was trying to kill Ryo. The attack had come so suddenly that Ryo almost had no time to reach for the Katana on the wall. Thankfully, Brian had enough sense to push Mia onto the ground as use his body as a human shield. As Ryo fought the possessed Doctor, Mia pushed Brian off of her and ran toward the laptop computer. 'If I can access the information, I can get to the poem that will tell us where the others are,' Mia thought.  
Mia quickly typed on the keyboard, 'so that password didn't work,' she mused.  
As Mia kept typing, Ryo kept engaging the Doctor. Finally, one direct blow caused the spirit to leave Dr. Koji's body. The Doctor gasped, "Mia," he whispered.  
Mia ran over to her grandfather, knowing that she hadn't broken the code. Brian ran toward the laptop and began to try to access the information they needed.  
"Password invalid."  
"Password invalid."  
Brian slammed his fists on the table, why couldn't he access the code?  
"Grandfather," Mia cried, "what did the Dynasty do to you?"  
"That is not important." The Doctor breathed, "You need to get to the poem."  
"How do I access it?" Mia asked.  
"Try the word Natsu," her grandfather replied, as he breathed his last.  
"Got it," Brian yelled as he entered the password.  
Suddenly, a poem came up on the screen, "is this it?" Brian asked Mia.  
Mia read the poem:  
  
"Torch of Spirit, sought through five  
Drinking strength from immortal fire  
Darkest prison sheds the light  
Churning beneath a swirl of salt  
Buried within a throne of rock  
Floating among the eyes of the ages, unmoored in the stream of the sky"  
  
"Yes," Mia replied.  
Suddenly the door burst open as Sarah and Melissa ran in. "Is everyone okay?" Melissa asked, trying not to gag at the dead body in the room.  
"We're fine," Ryo smiled.  
Sarah ran over to Ryo and hugged him, "don't ever pull a stunt like that again," she scolded.  
Ryo smiled, then he looked around the room, "Where are Jazalyn and Melody?" He finally asked.  
"They're back at the quad," Melissa replied.  
"Then let's go and get them," Ryo replied.  
Ryo, Sarah, and Melissa ran out of the room, but Mia looked at her grandfather's body and started to cry. Brian walked up to Mia, "we'll pay the Dynasty back," he comforted her.  
Mia smiled through her tears, "I hope so," she replied.  
"Don't worry," Brian smiled, "we can give your grandfather justice by making life for Talpa and his Warlords a nightmare."  
Mia smiled as Brian led her out of the room, grabbing her laptop from the base stand.  
  
Jazalyn stopped the cycle of rescue breathing when Melody coughed. "What did you do?" Melody asked.  
"Mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing," Jazalyn blushed.  
Melody looked like she was going to gag.  
"You both should feel lucky," a deep, male voice laughed.  
Jazalyn and Melody turned around to find Sekhmet standing there, with a Katana in each hand. 


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
"Oh shit," Jazalyn replied.  
Sekhmet was standing in front of them; he had a wicked smile on his face. "I see my partner and Anubis' partner are all alone."  
Melody quickly got up, "get to the point, Sekhmet," she bit out, "you aren't going to hurt Jazalyn."  
"Who said I was going to hurt either of you," Sekhmet replied, "I've just come to take you two to Master Talpa's castle."  
"I'm not going," Melody glared.  
Sekhmet's face darkened, "I'm only trying to keep you away from the battlefield."  
"Tough," Jazalyn smiled as she broke into a fighting stance.  
Sekhmet looked at Anubis' partner, she was very brave, and very loyal. "Give up," Sekhmet sneered, "I just want you and my partner to come with me."  
"Melody is not going with you, so stay the hell away from us," Jazalyn glared.  
"I can see why you are Anubis' partner," Sekhmet taunted, "You both have a disgusting sense of loyalty and honor."  
"And I can see why you and Melody are partners," Jazalyn smiled as she rose to Sekhmet's challenge, "You two have the hardest heads I've ever seen."  
"Thank you," Melody whispered in a sarcastic manner.  
Sekhmet looked at the two girls, 'I guess it's time for drastic measures,' he thought. "I give you two one last chance, come with me or…"  
"Or what?" A male voice asked.  
Sekhmet turned to find Wildfire, his annoying partner, Torrent's partner, the girl that had caught Dais' interest, and the other girl, "how did you escape my trap?" He asked, surprised.  
Ryo smiled, "that's for me to know and for you to find out."  
"Then die for your interference!" Sekhmet yelled, "Snake Fang Strike!"  
Melody couldn't believe her eyes; her partner had grown four more arms. 'Weird,' she thought.  
Ryo was losing to Sekhmet badly. Brian refused to leave Mia's side, but Melissa and Sarah were able to reach Jazalyn and Melody. "Something about that attack isn't right," Sarah analyzed.  
"Any ideas?" Jazalyn replied, "I seriously doubt he grew four more arms."  
"Are you kidding?" Melody replied, "Look, he does have four more arms."  
Melissa knew that Sekhmet didn't have six arms, but how could she prove it? Suddenly, she removed her glasses. Through her blurred vision, Melissa realized that Sekhmet didn't have six arms; he was only moving his two arms very fast. "Ryo," Melissa yelled, "keep dodging Sekhmet's attack. I'll tell you when to strike."  
Sarah looked at Melissa, "What are you doing?"  
"He doesn't have four more arms," Melissa replied, "He's only moving his two arms really fast."  
As Ryo kept dodging Sekhmet's blows, Ryo heard, "Strike now."  
Ryo struck Sekhmet in the shoulder, causing the attack to stop. 'He does have only two arms,' Ryo realized.  
Sekhmet glared at Melissa, the girl was too smart for her own good. "Die!" Sekhmet yelled as he charged toward Melissa.  
Melissa slowly backed away. As Sekhmet charged, Melody inserted herself between her partner and Melissa, "You aren't going to touch her."  
Sekhmet stopped and glared at Melody, "Get out of my way, I don't want to hurt you."  
"Just because you're my partner," Melody replied, "doesn't mean I can let you hurt my friends."  
Everyone except Sekhmet and Jazalyn looked in shock, "So," Sarah thought, "Melody has a Warlord partner. I guess one wasn't bad enough."  
"Move," Sekhmet yelled.  
"No," Melody replied.  
Sekhmet reversed his Katana blades so that he could hit Melody with the hilt of his swords instead of the blade. When Sekhmet came within two inches of hitting Melody, she grabbed the hilts with both hands. As Sekhmet tried to apply pressure, Melody punched Sekhmet in the throat, hard.  
Sekhmet stumbled back, gasping for breath. This gave Ryo just enough time to click the hilts of his Katana's together and yell, "Flare Up Now!"  
The power surge blasted Sekhmet away. When everything was said and done, Melissa looked at Melody, "Thank you, for saving me."  
"Why didn't you kill him?" Sarah asked, "You had enough time to stab him."  
"He's my partner," Melody replied, "I can't kill him."  
"Let's go look for the others," Brian said, as he motioned toward the jeep. 


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
  
"Okay," Mia spoke as she was driving, "we found Ryo at Mt. Fuji. What does the next line of the poem say Brian?"  
"Darkest prison sheds the light," Brian replied.  
"Darkest prison sheds the light," Jazalyn mused.  
"Do you think Sage could be in a cave?" Melody concluded.  
"It's possible," Sarah replied.  
Melissa looked up from her poetry, "there are so many caves in Japan. How are we going to find the right one?"  
"Mia," Brian asked, "Can I use your laptop?"  
"Sure," Mia replied.  
As Brian looked through the data, Jazalyn began to write in her blank poetry book. 'Darkest prison sheds the light,' she thought, 'I wonder if Sage is in one of the caves on the Akiyoshi Plateau?'  
As Brian searched through the data, Jazalyn looked up, "Brian, did you ever study the Nine Armors myth?"  
"No," Brian replied.  
"I think I read the myth when I was in High School." Jazalyn replied, "The myth talked about an armor being made by a warrior monk on the Akiyoshi Plateau."  
Brian looked at the screen, "Why don't we try the name out."  
When Brian entered the name, the Nine Armor myth appeared, "Bingo," he smiled.  
"What?" Melody asked.  
"It says the armor of Halo was created in Akiko Cave." Brian read, "A favorite place of refuge for various religious groups on the Akiyoshi Plateau."  
"Then I guess we know where to go," Sarah smiled.  
Melissa looked around, "I have a feeling that the Warlords will try again."  
"We're going to have to expect that," Jazalyn replied flatly.  
Sarah glared at Jazalyn, "you're taking this too lightly."  
Jazalyn didn't look up from her poetry book, "it's the way the world works. We are the prey and the Warlords are the hunters."  
Sarah got angry, "You think this is a game?"  
"Of course," Jazalyn said flatly, nose still buried in her poetry book, "this is a very deadly game. To Talpa and the Dynasty, we are merely pawns."  
"I hope you don't think your partner thinks of you as a pawn," Melissa said seriously.  
"He does." Jazalyn replied, "He used me as a bargaining pawn. You guys remember the "I'll trade the Ronin Warriors for my partner" incident."   
"I remember," Melody shuddered, "but do you have to say it like that?"  
"It's the truth," Jazalyn replied, "And if we stick together, maybe we can outwit the Dynasty."  
Sarah smiled, "I guess there is hope for us."  
"Of course there is," Jazalyn smiled, "we've already proven to the Dyansty that we have teeth and claws."  
"And in layman's terms," Melody asked.  
"You five can fight back," Ryo smiled, startling the four girls.  
"Can we not talk like this," Brian asked, "it's kind of creepy."  
"Fine," Jazalyn smiled. "How far is it to Akiko Cave?" She asked Mia.  
"You had better get comfortable," Mia smiled, "it's going to be a long ride."  
  
Sekhmet looked at jeep heading toward Akiko Cave, 'they have led me to Sage of the Halo. This will be easier than I thought.'  
Sekhmet followed the car; his mind was forming a plan. 'This time' he thought, 'I will kill Ryo of the Wildfire as well as Sage of the Halo.' 


	21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
  
As Mia drove toward Akiko Cave, Jazalyn, Sarah, Melissa, Melody, and Brian were writing in their poetry books. As Melody wrote in her book, she began to think. 'I know that Sekhmet is my partner, but how can I stay loyal to everyone else when my partner is the enemy?'  
Melody sighed, she would think about that problem later, after they had found Sage. But for now, there was nothing she could do.  
When the jeep stopped outside Akiko Cave, something within Jazalyn gave off a warning signal, "someone's here."  
"How perceptive," a voice laughed, starling everyone.  
Everyone turned to find Sekhmet standing near a clump of rocks with two Katanas drawn. "Run!" Ryo yelled, "go find Sage!"  
"You nuts!" Sarah yelled, "I'm not going to let that freak kill you."  
"Listen to Ryo," Mia yelled, "help me find Sage."  
"No, I'm staying." Melody replied, "He's my partner."  
"He'll kill you," Ryo retorted.  
"Then I'm staying too," Sarah finished.  
"Go find Sage," Ryo told Mia, Jazalyn, Brian, and Melissa.  
With great reluctance, all five entered the cave. Ryo turned to Sekhmet, "You are not going to touch Sage."  
"But I'm going to do so much more," Sekhmet laughed.  
"Then prove it," Ryo smiled, "Armor of Wildfire, Tao Jin!"  
When Ryo armored up, he withdrew his two Katanas. "Are you ready?"  
"Of course I'm ready," Sekhmet laughed, "ready for you to die."  
Ryo and Sekhmet clashed, the sounds of metal hitting metal was amazing. As Sarah and Melody watched the battle, Sarah became amazed when Ryo was able flip around and dodge Sekhmet's attacks, 'he's gotten stronger,' Sarah thought.  
That all ended when something shot out of Sekhmet's swords. A pink liquid was released from the swords and got into Ryo's eyes. "It burns," Ryo grimaced.  
"Now you know the power of my Venom," Sekhmet laughed.  
"Cheap shot," Sarah growled.  
Sekhmet turned toward Sarah, "you were always a problem. Now I will end you permanently."  
With those words, Sekhmet pulled all six swords out and made a razor sharp whip, "Snake Fang Strike!  
As the whip came toward Sarah, Melody inserted herself between the two, and used her arm to block the whip. The sharp whip wrapped around her right arm leaving many cuts. But what made the cuts even worse was the fact that Venom also leaked into her skin.  
Melody grimaced, the wounds smelled terrible, and they stung like Hell. Sekhmet looked at Melody in horror; he had just injured his own partner.  
"Sarah," Melody whispered as she grimaced in pain, "take Ryo into the cave. Find Sage."  
"But what about you?" Sarah yelled.  
"Just get Ryo into the cave," Melody shot back. "Maybe I can distract Sekhmet long enough for you to free Sage."  
"But…" Sarah began.  
"Do it!" Melody yelled, "for once, just listen to what someone tells you and do it!"  
Sarah quickly led Ryo into the cave, when Sekhmet saw this, he attempted to go after them, but Melody blocked his way. "I'm not going to let you hurt my friends."  
"You're hurt," Sekhmet replied.  
Melody forced a smile, "And whose fault is it?"  
Sekhmet advanced toward Melody; he was amazed on how well she was enduring the pain. The girl was very strong and very brave. He mentally reminded himself to offer prayers of thanksgiving to the Kami for giving him such a strong willed partner.  
As Sekhmet advanced toward Melody, he noticed that she had lost all feeling in her right arm. Using this to his advantage, Sekhmet moved toward the right. When Sekhmet got close, Melody used her left hand and punched him in the throat, hard.  
Sekhmet gasped for breath as Melody ran toward the cave. Sekhmet smiled, like Wildfire, Melody would not get very far for very long. The poison would slowly spread through her body. Soon she would lose all the feeling in her left arm, and then she would lose all the feeling in her legs. When that happened, she would be paralyzed, and wouldn't be able to move. When that happened, Melody would be easier to capture.  
Sekhmet smiled, with Wildfire blind, and Melody about to be paralyzed. Could it possibly get any better? 


	22. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
  
Jazalyn, Melissa, Brian, and Mia were walking around the cave. 'I hope everyone is alright,' Jazalyn thought, 'I would hate to see someone die.'  
"Hey guys," a female voice called, "a little help here."  
Everyone turned to find Sarah supporting Ryo with her shoulders. "What happened?" Melissa asked.  
"Sekhmet blinded Ryo," Sarah began. "He tried to kill me, but Melody interfered. Sekhmet's poison got into her skin. I don't if she's going to be paralyzed."  
"Damn it all to Hell and back!" Jazalyn swore in her loudest voice, "Where is she?"  
"I don't know," Sarah shuddered.  
"WHERE IS SHE?" Jazalyn yelled louder.  
"Toward the entrance of the cave," Sarah replied.  
"I'm going after her," Jazalyn stated.  
Brian grabbed her arm, "Don't try to play hero mate."  
Jazalyn yanked her arm away from Brian's grip, "I'm going after her. No one is going to get left behind." With that, Jazalyn ran back toward the entrance.  
  
Melody ran; she had to move as quickly as possible. Her left arm had just given out and her right leg was starting to feel numb. 'I have to get to the others,' Melody thought, 'they can protect me.'  
As Melody made her way down the cave, she heard metallic-sounding footsteps. 'Shit,' she thought, 'my partner's here.'  
As the footsteps got closer, Melody's right leg gave out. 'Now I'm deep shit,' she thought.  
Suddenly, Sekhmet appeared in front of her. With her right leg out and her left leg going numb, Melody grimaced in pain, "Are you here to finish what you started?"  
Sekhmet kneeled down so that Melody's face was in the same area as his faceplate. In his hand was a small bottle with a clear liquid in it. As he unscrewed the cork, he looked at his injured partner, "Drink this."  
"No," Melody grimaced.  
Sighing at his impatient partner, Sekhmet grabbed Melody's chin and opened her mouth. When her mouth was open, Sekhmet forced the liquid down her throat.  
Melody swallowed the liquid, if she didn't, she would have choked on the fluid. It tasted like carbonated water with lemon in it. Once she had drunk the liquid, Sekhmet helped her stand up. Almost immediately, Melody could feel her arms and legs. Melody looked at Sekhmet in shock, "Why?" She asked.  
Sekhmet looked at Melody straight in the eye, "you're my partner."  
"Melody," Jazalyn yelled.  
Sekhmet looked at his partner, "Just because you are my partner, that doesn't mean that I won't kill Wildfire and Halo."  
As Sekhmet teleported away, Melody stared in amazement. She never expected her partner to have the ability to heal.  
"Melody," Jazalyn called out, startling her best friend, "you okay?"  
"Yeah," Melody replied.  
"Can you move anything?" Jazalyn asked.  
Melody turned to face the other girl, "I was paralyzed, but Sekhmet gave me the antidote."  
"Then you're okay?" Jazalyn replied.  
"Yep," Melody smiled, "let's get back to the others." 


	23. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
  
Melody and Jazalyn walked back toward the group. "Are you okay?" Sarah asked as ran over towards Melody,   
"I'll be fine," Melody smiled, "Sekhmet gave me the antidote to the poison."  
Sarah looked at Melody in shock, 'so Sekhmet can heal and cause pain. I wonder if we can swipe the antidote for Ryo's eyes.'  
"I serious doubt that," Sekhmet laughed.  
Everyone turned around to face Sekhmet. He had two of his swords drawn and was ready to kill, "Ryo," Sarah yelled, "Help me look for Sage."  
"But I can't see him," Ryo pointed out.  
Melissa looked at him, "use your mind. Feel with your mind to find out where Sage is."  
As Ryo, Melissa, and Sarah started toward one of the pillars, Jazalyn and Melody used themselves to block Ryo and the others, and Brian grabbed Mia and slowly began to back away.  
Sekhmet advanced toward Melody and Jazalyn, "get out of my way."  
"No," Melody replied.  
"Get out of my way," Sekhmet ordered again.  
"No," Jazalyn and Melody replied together.  
"Fine," Sekhmet smiled, "come to me, soldiers. Your general commands you to come."  
Suddenly, black electricity filled the cave as a group of Dynasty soldiers appeared. "Oh shit," Jazalyn whispered.  
Soon the soldiers had surrounded them. "I want these two to remain alive and unharmed," Sekhmet ordered.  
"Hai," the soldiers replied.  
As Sekhmet walked away, he found Ryo, Melissa, and Sarah trying to wake up Sage. Sekhmet laughed, "You are mine Wildfire."  
Sarah, Melissa, and Ryo turned around to find Sekhmet standing behind them. "You and your partner have become a pain, Wildfire. It's time I end the both of you."  
As he said those words he made his sword whip, "Snake Fang Strike!"  
"Move," Ryo yelled, pushing Sarah and Melissa out of the way and taking the full force of the attack.  
Ryo could barely stand up, he walk toward a stalagmite and began to punch it, "Sage!" he yelled, "wake up."  
Melissa and Sarah had been thrown to the ground so hard that they found it painful to get up. They watched in horror as Sekhmet repeatedly used his sure kill again and again. 'Sage,' Melissa thought, 'get up. We need you.'  
All of a sudden, Sekhmet heard the sounds of a fight coming form where he left the two girls. This distracted Sekhmet long enough for Brian to sneak up behind him and punch him in the throat. When he recovered, he glared at the young man, "Now you die, Snake Fang Strike!"  
Brian hit the ground as the sword whip missed him. But it hit the stalagmite with Sage in it. As soon the sword made the blow, the stalagmite began to glow. All of a sudden, the cave filled with light and Sage blew out of the rock. When he saw Ryo injured, his eyes began to glow, "Thunder Bolt Cut!"  
The ball of light that collected at the tip of the sword grew. Suddenly, Sage hurled the ball of light at Sekhmet and blew him out of the cave. "Where are Melody and Jazalyn?" He asked as he looked around.  
"We're right here," Melody called out.  
Everyone turned to find Melody and Jazalyn standing together. They looked like they had gotten into a fight. "You okay," Melissa asked.  
"Yeah," Jazalyn smiled, "who knew that those tin cans were so brainless that they would get defeated by two unarmed girls."  
Jazalyn and Melody smiled as they gave each other a high five. Sarah, Melissa, Brian, Ryo, Mia, and Sage smiled.  
  
When the got outside of Akiko Cave, Sarah looked at Sage, "Can you heal him?"  
"Sure," Sage smiled, "if the sunlight will hit the blade in the correct way…"  
As the blade shimmered in the sunlight, the light hit Ryo's eyes. After about a few minutes, Ryo opened his eyes. Jazalyn walked over, "can you see fine now?" She asked.  
"Yep," Ryo smiled.  
"Then let's go find the others," Brian smiled. 


	24. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
  
"Okay," Sage began, "what does the next line of the poem say?"  
"Churning beneath a swirl of salt," Mia read the line.  
"Okay," Brian replied, "Any ideas."  
"Japan's an island country," Melody replied, "We could be searching for days."  
"Maybe not," Sarah smiled, "I remember an old story I learned in Professor Koji's class."  
"My grandfather's literature class!" Mia asked, startled.  
"Yep," Sarah replied, "something about a man finding his true nature and power at the Great Whirlpool of Meimon."  
"You mean in the Naruto Straits?" Jazalyn asked.  
"Exactly," Sarah smiled.  
"Then let's try it out," Brian replied as he typed in the information. After he finished typing, the computer accessed the information. "Bingo," Brian smiled.  
"Do we have anything?" Ryo asked.  
"It says here that the Armor of Torrent was made by the warrior monk at the Whirlpool of Meimon in the Naruto Straits," Brian read.  
"Then let's get the others," Melody smiled.  
"Before we go, can I talk to Mia alone?" Brian asked.  
"Sure," Melissa replied, "I want to talk to Jazalyn alone also."  
  
Melissa took Jazalyn to a quiet area, "Why did you go back for Melody?"  
"I couldn't leave her," Jazalyn replied.  
"Sarah was ranting about you putting your life in danger again," Melissa sighed.  
Jazalyn glared, "My father is in the military. The first thing he taught me was that nobody gets left behind."  
"And why did he teach you that?" Melissa questioned.  
Jazalyn closed her eyes, "My dad was in Vietnam before I was born and before he married my mother. One day he was on recon with his group when they were jumped by the V.C. There was fierce fighting, and one of the V.C aimed his gun at my father's head. His best friend saw what was going to happen and shoved him out of the way. My dad's friend was shot in the head and he died right in my father's arms. When they were ordered to fall back, my dad carried the corpse with him. He had always been trained to be loyal to his comrades in battle. In the end, he proved his loyalty to his best friend, even when his friend died."  
Melissa smiled, "So now I know where your fierce sense of loyalty comes from."  
"Do you understand why I couldn't leave Melody behind?" Jazalyn smiled.  
"I do now," Melissa nodded.  
  
Mia looked out at the bridge, "Thanks for coming with me Brian."  
"Sure," Brian said sympathetically.  
Tears formed in Mia's eyes, "I don't know if I can avenge my grandfather."  
"Mia," Brian sighed as he put his arms around her shoulders, "you don't have to be a fighter to avenge him."  
"It's just, I lost my grandfather and I can't lose you five either," Mia sobbed. "I'm not the type of person to carry hate in my heart. But I feel so helpless."  
Brian got face to face with Mia, "That's what the Dynasty wants. I know that they would use your hatred of them as a tool to kill the other Ronin Warriors. But if we can deny them that victory, then the Dynasty can't control us."  
Mia smiled through her tears, "you mean that?"  
Brian got closer, "Yes, I do."  
They didn't mean for it to happen, but soon Brian and Mia were kissing each other on the lips. When the kiss ended, Mia pulled away and blushed. "We have to go back."  
Brian smiled, "Sure." 


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23  
  
The drive to the whirlpools was quiet. Melissa knew that everyone was in serious mood, 'now would probably not be a good time to make jokes,' she thought. So as Mia drove, all five writers began to write. When they got to the Naruto Straits, everyone got out of the jeep and looked over the bridge. "So, Cye's down in the whirlpool," Melody mused, "how are we going to get him out without drowning?"  
"I'll go in," Ryo replied.  
"Ryo," Sarah looked at him seriously, "your armor is a fire type. Cye's is a water type. You're not going to be very fast under the whirlpools."  
"I know," Ryo replied, "but it's better if I go down there, just incase the Dynasty attacks."  
Sarah glared at her partner, "you and Jazalyn must have a death wish."  
"That's not even funny," Jazalyn shot back.  
"It's not meant to be funny," Sarah responded.  
"Okay," Brian replied, cutting the two girls off, "Ryo will go and get Cye."  
"And Mia and I will get Kento," Sage said helpfully.  
"Do you want some help?" Melissa asked.  
Sage smiled, "with the other four authors here. If you or Brian leave, Jazalyn and Sarah are going to kill each other."  
Both girls glared at Sage while Melissa, Melody, and Brian giggled.  
"Okay," Jazalyn replied, "you two go and get Kento. We'll stay here with Ryo and help him get Cye."  
"Then we'll meet at Tembashi?" Sage replied.  
"Sounds good enough for me," Ryo smiled.  
Sage and Mia got into the car and drove away. As Ryo and the five writers looked down at the whirlpools, Melissa looked at Ryo. "Good luck," she told him.  
"I'll be fine," Ryo reassured Melissa. "Just take care of Sarah and make sure that she doesn't kill Jazalyn."  
"That's not funny!" Sarah yelled, as Ryo dove into the water.  
  
Sekhmet looked at the group attempting to rescue Torrent. 'With Wildfire in the water, he will weak and more susceptible to my attacks,' Sekhmet laughed mentally. 'Then I can kill Torrent, his partner, Wildfire, and his partner.'  
Sekhmet then noticed Jazalyn and Melody with the group, 'good,' Sekhmet thought, 'once I'm done with those four I can take Jazalyn and Melody to the Dynasty. I have no interest in the girl Melissa, Dais can hunt her down and bring her into the Dynasty at his leisure.'  
When Sekhmet saw Wildfire dive into the water, he laughed out loud, "Swim right into my trap Wildfire. Swim to your doom. This time, your partner won't be able to save you." 


	26. Chapter 24

Chapter 24  
  
'Well Sarah was right about one thing,' Ryo thought, 'I am slower in water.'  
As Ryo was swimming toward one of the whirlpools, he noticed something, 'It's quiet,' he realized, 'too quiet.'  
That all changed when he heard the whistle of a spear go by. Ryo dodged the spear and looked behind him, 'great,' he thought, 'more of Talpa's tin cans.'  
As the soldiers swam closer, Ryo began to engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The fighting was fierce and Ryo soon realized that he would have to go to the surface to get air. Swimming upward, Ryo felt a soldier grab his ankles and pull him down deeper. Ryo was able to kick the soldier off of him and make it to the surface.  
On the surface Ryo was met with archers, 'this is perfect,' he thought as he dodged the arrows, 'someone knew that I was coming.'  
What he didn't realize was that the person who knew he was coming had just dove into the water and was heading right for him.  
  
Jazalyn, Sarah, Melody, Melissa, and Brian were standing on the bridge, "I hope Ryo is okay," Sarah sighed, "He's not strong in the water."  
Jazalyn looked over the bridge, she thought she heard Ryo armor up, but the next thing she heard chilled her bones. "I think Ryo walked right into a trap," Jazalyn said numbly.  
"What makes you think that?" Melissa asked.  
"I just heard Sekhmet laughing," Jazalyn replied as she began to shake.  
"WHAT!" Sarah and Melody yelled at the same time.  
"If Sekhmet's here, then that means…BLOODY HELL!" Brian yelled.  
"What?" Melissa asked.  
"He's come to kill Cye," Brian replied.  
"Don't worry," Sarah replied, trying to calm everyone down, "Ryo can handle the situation."  
All five writers looked down from the bridge only to see Ryo getting blown out of the water. When Ryo landed on the bridge, Jazalyn and Sarah came running, "You okay?" Sarah asked, trying to comfort her partner.  
"I can't move," Ryo gritted, "my whole body has been paralyzed."  
Jazalyn started the place her hands around the sub armor areas, "Can you feel my fingers touching your palm?" She asked Ryo.  
"No," Ryo replied, "I can't feel anything. I guess Sekhmet's poison is stronger in water than it is on land."  
"Then I'm going down to protect Cye," Brian replied as he got to lip of the bridge.  
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN FREAKING MIND!" Sarah yelled.  
"No," Brian replied calmly.  
"Then don't go," Sarah stated.  
"I have to do this," Brian said, ignoring Sarah's words, "If it were Ryo, you would do the same thing."  
With those words, Brian jumped into the water. 


	27. Chapter 25

Chapter 25  
  
Brian swam towards the whirlpool as fast as he could. He didn't really know if Sekhmet could swim or not, he only knew one thing; he had to get to Cye.  
'If I come out of this alive,' Brian laughed mentally, 'Sarah will have my head on a platter.'  
As he swam closer, Brian saw dead fish littering in his field of view, 'I pray I'm not too late,' he thought.  
As he kept swimming, he silently thanked his mother and father for teaching him to swim when he was little. Brian could hold his breath for an unusually long period of time because of all the swimming he did. His talent for swimming had brought him prestige in High School and at Oxford University. As he got closer, Brian saw Sekhmet fighting a giant Killer Whale. Then he noticed that Sekhmet had dropped one of his Katanas. Brian swam down and retrieved the sword, 'I must remember to thank mum for making me take fencing and teaching me how to use a sword,' he thought.  
Brian's mother had come form old English landed nobles. They were powerful during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. His mother's family had produced the best guards for the British Royalty; thus, training with swords had always been in the family. His family had fallen out of favor when Charles I was beheaded and the "Republic" took control. Most of his mother's family was executed for supporting the king. But his mother's ancestor escaped to Scotland and when Charles II became king, his mother's family lost its prominence. As time went on, they became smaller landed nobles.  
Brian swam closer, Sekhmet had just repelled the Killer Whale and was headed toward the pale blue sphere in the water, 'no,' Brian thought, 'I can't let him kill Cye.'  
Brian swam up behind Sekhmet and nicked in the arm. Sekhmet turned to find Brian behind him, with one of his swords in his hands, "Why can't I be rid of you and Wildfire's bitch?" Sekhmet raged.  
Brian looked at Sekhmet in shock, he knew how to talk underwater! With the sword firmly in his grasp, Brian went into a fighting stance. Sekhmet responded by charging at him.  
Brian and Sekhmet fought, but as the time passed, he realized that he was losing air. 'I have to get to the surface, or I'll pass out due to lack of oxygen.'  
Brian began to get tired; he needed air badly. Sekhmet took full advantage and knocked Brian to the ground, "Now you die," Sekhmet smiled.  
Brian's mind began to get cloudy, 'I have to get to the surface, if I don't I'm going to end up dead.'  
As Sekhmet raised his sword, Brian began to glow light blue. "Nani!" Sekhmet replied, startled.  
Brian's glowing woke Cye up. When Cye opened his eyes and saw Sekhmet with his sword at his partner's throat, he yelled out, "Super Wave Smasher!"  
The blast blew Cye and Brian out of the water and onto the bridge. Brian gasped for air, but when he saw Cye kneeling next to him, he smiled, "Thanks for saving me mate."  
"You were able to wake me up," Cye smiled, "thank you."  
"I guess there's more to partners than just saving each other physically," Brian smiled.  
Melissa and Melody ran toward Brian, "Thank God you're alright," Melody sighed, relieved.  
"Sarah almost had a heart attack," Melissa smiled, "she was yelling that she was going beat some sense into you after you brought Cye back."  
"How's Ryo?" Brian asked, changing the subject.  
"When Ryo was blasted out of the water, the shockwave jackknifed a gasoline truck and started a fire," Melissa explained, "Sarah and Jazalyn were able to get him close to the fire. According to Jazalyn, Ryo's body was going into Shock. When they got Ryo to the fire, his virtue began to glow, and for some odd reason, Sarah began to glow red. When the red light faded Ryo was healed."  
"Then Ryo and I can finish Sekhmet," Cye stated.  
"Good luck mate," Brian smiled.  
  
Ryo was battling Sekhmet, 'How did Wildfire recover from that heavy dosage of my venom.'  
"Prepare to eat fire," Ryo threatened.  
"Then taste my venom," Sekhmet smiled, "Snake Fang Strike!"  
The sword whip was blocked by Cye's trident, "You weren't going to use that on Ryo, were you?"  
"Once I'm done ripping you two apart!" Sekhmet yelled, "I'll kill your asshole partners!"  
"Talk about the need for anger management," Cye smiled.  
Angered, Sekhmet charged at Cye and Ryo. As Sekhmet charged, Cye did a back flip and yelled, "Super Wave Smasher!"  
At the same time, Ryo clicked the hilts of his swords together and yelled "Flare Up Now!"  
The combined attacks blew Sekhmet away from the bridge. When all was said and done, Melissa, Sarah, Jazalyn, Melody, and Brian came running, "You two okay?" Melissa asked.  
"We're fine," Ryo smiled.  
Sarah looked at Brian, "Don't ever pull a stunt like that again."  
"I'm glad he did," Cye replied, "If he hadn't gone down, I would have never woken up."  
"Did you kill Sekhmet?" Melody asked.  
"No," Cye replied, "we can't. He's your partner."  
Everyone started to laugh.  
  
"YOU HAVE FAILED ME SHEKMET," Talpa's voice boomed across the Throne Room.  
"Gomen nasai master," Sekhmet said as he kneeled before Talpa.  
"Cye of the Torrent has been revived," Talpa began. "I have just received word from Cale that Kento of Hardrock has also been revived. NO MORE WARRIORS MUST BE REVIVED."  
"Hai," Sekhmet and Dais replied.  
Talpa's image faded away and Sekhmet left the throne room. His mind was in a complete jumble, not only had he underestimated the partners of the Cye of the Torrent and Ryo of the Wildfire; he seemed to have underestimated his own partner. 'These five aren't weaklings,' he thought, 'especially my partner. But I know nothing about having or dealing with a partner. I wish this weren't so hard.'  
Sekhmet hissed in frustration, why couldn't Melody understand that he only wanted to keep her safe? Why was it so hard to get his partner to come with him?  
"I see you're having some trouble," a voice replied calmly.  
Sekhmet turned to see Anubis standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall. "The Healer told me that I'm ready to serve Talpa again," he smiled.  
Anubis looked at Sekhmet's frustrated eyes, "I see you've found your partner," he replied flatly.  
"My partner won't give up," Sekhmet raged, "I'm only trying to bring her here so she can be safe."  
"I'm trying to get my partner here too," Anubis replied, "but it appears we're going to have to use other means to get them into the castle." 


	28. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
  
Anubis was in the large castle Library. There were many books about the myths of Talpa's armor, but Anubis was looking for a certain one. Frustrated, he put a small green book back on the shelf and picked up a large, brown book. Opening the book, Anubis noticed that the first chapter was called "Partnership."  
Not believing in coincidences, Anubis read the information:  
  
"When Talpa retrieved the four Seasonal Armors, he set his sights on the five Ronin Armors. Fearing the destruction of both worlds, the Sun Goddess, Ameterasu, needed a way to show the armor bearers that war was more than just victims and glory. Thus, she decided to give five of the nine armor bearers a "partner" to understand the ways of the world and to see the world through different eyes. Each "partner" would be born before the Great War predicted by the Kami of Divination. The five "partners" were created and fashioned by the goddess and her handmaidens for the armor bearers. Tsukiyomi, the Kami of the Moon, and brother to Ameterasu, was the first to petition that his favorite armor bearer be given a "partner". Four more Kami followed and petitioned the Great Goddess of the Sun for their favored armor bearers to be given a "partner". The Great Goddess accepted the five Kami's petitions and when the five "partners" were born, they were each given a necklace with their armor bearer's virtue and told to wear the necklace at all times. Ameterasu's handmaidens helped their mistress form the personalities of the "partners", but the most influential handmaiden was the Kami of Literature. She was said to have given all five the gift of poetry and story writing."  
  
Anubis closed the book, 'It would appear that Sekhmet and I are in over our heads. If our partners were fashioned by the Great Goddess and her handmaidens, then this "partnership" experience is going to get touchy. If any of them get killed, then we would anger the Great Goddess herself, but if we don't get rid of Wildfire and Torrent's partner, then we can't protect our partners from the battlefield.'  
Anubis sighed as Sekhmet walked in, "What did you find?"  
"That this partnership deal is more complicated than I thought," Anubis replied.  
"What do you mean by, "more complicated"?" Sekhmet asked.  
"All five of them were fashioned by the Sun Goddess and her handmaidens," Anubis said flatly.  
Sekhmet looked at Anubis in shock, "all of them? Including Torrent's partner and Wildfire's bitch?"  
"Yes," Anubis replied.  
"DARK WARLORDS, TO THE THRONE ROOM," Talpa's voice boomed.  
  
When Anubis and Sekhmet entered the throne room, Dais was standing in the center of the room, "Master, I have a plan to defeat the Ronin Warriors," Dais smiled.  
"Where have I heard that one before?" Anubis snorted.  
Dais smiled, "You were weak because you underestimated the Ronin Warriors. I don't intend to make the same mistake."  
Sekhmet gave off a small smirking grin, "Don't underestimate those five non-combatants. They're stronger than they look."  
Dais laughed, "My illusions will deal with those five. Then I'll bring Melody, Melissa, and Jazalyn into the Dynasty."  
Anubis glared at Dais, "be careful of what tactics you use. Those five aren't your average prey."  
Dais smiled, "I'll be sure to remember that," he laughed as he teleported away. 


	29. Chapter 27

Chapter 27  
  
Melissa walked around the historic district in Tembashi. Everyone hoped that Sage and Mia were able to free Kento; they needed all five armors to win against Talpa. Melissa walked into one of the temples. She noticed the many candles lit as offerings, 'according to what I learned in Geography and History,' she thought, 'this temple was constructed by order of Prince Regent Shotoku in 594 A.D. for the security of Japan and to honor the Kami. I hope he had the war with Talpa in mind when he ordered the temple built.'  
As Melissa walked around in the temple, she noticed the warm glow of the candlelight, 'this is probably the first place that I feel comfortable in,' she thought as she smiled.  
Melissa rubbed her eyes, she was tired from running around and fighting, but mostly, she was lonely, 'everyone has found their partner except me. I wonder who mine will be?'  
Settling down in one of the corners of the temple, Melissa lay down on her side, with her back against the wall, and fell asleep. She did not see a spider-armored Warlord look down at her.  
  
Melody and Jazalyn were walking around the Historic District. "That whirlpool incident almost made Sarah have a heart attack," Melody smiled.  
Jazalyn glared at the other girl, "I would have had a heart attack if that were you," she replied truthfully.  
"Don't worry," Melody smiled, "As soon as we unite all five Ronin Warriors, we can kick Talpa's ass and go back to a normal life."  
Suddenly, Jazalyn started to laugh and cry at the same time. "What's wrong?" Melody asked.  
Jazalyn looked at Melody with a smile on her face as tears flowed from her eyes, "I was just thinking about my father and how he would react if found out the situation I was in. He would pull me out of the exchange program if he ever found out."  
"At least you have a father that gives a rat's ass about you," Melody replied flatly.  
Jazalyn put a comforting arm around Melody's shoulder, "Don't worry about it. You've got Brian, Sarah, Melissa, and me. Besides, our exchange program doesn't end until autumn of next year, so we' aren't going anywhere anytime soon."  
"I know," Melody smiled, "I'm just glad that we're still together."  
As Jazalyn smiled at that comment, Sarah walked towards the two of them. "Have either of you seen Melissa?"  
"I think she went into that temple over there," Melody replied.  
"We need to get her," Sarah sighed, "Sage, Mia, and Kento are coming soon."  
  
When Sarah, Jazalyn, and Melody walked into the temple, Jazalyn swore she heard metal clanking, 'a Warlord?' She thought. Then she smiled, 'a temple is the last place I'd look for a Warlord.'  
"Come on," Jazalyn motioned to the other girls, "we need to get to the sanctuary."  
As all three girls walked down the hallway, Sarah noticed that the candlelights were going out. When they reached the sanctuary, all three girls peeked in and found Melissa asleep on the floor. Jazalyn, Melody, and Sarah nearly choked on their screams when they saw Dais kneeling beside her, stroking her hair. Melissa didn't stir; it was almost as if Dais was helping her sleep.  
That did it for Sarah, "Get your hands off of her you six-legged freak!" she yelled.  
Dais hissed and turned around, "So, you've come to defy me. Then he smiled as he looked at Sarah, "you aren't very much of a challenge."  
Melody smiled as she slowly edged her way toward the large temple bell and mallet, 'I hope this will wake Melissa up,' she prayed silently.  
Sarah shoved Jazalyn behind her as she glared at Dais, "get your hands off my best friend."  
Dais laughed, "I can see why you and Wildfire are partners. You two are more annoying than anyone I've ever met, or killed."  
"Why you…" Sarah began. But before any more words came out of her mouth, everyone heard a loud, GONG, GONG, GONGGGGGGG.  
Melody was whacking the bell like there was no tomorrow. A deep grin was born on Melody's face as Melissa stirred. When she opened her eyes, she saw Dais in front of her, blocking her from Sarah. Melissa lifted her hips and kicked Dais hard in the back of the thighs. When Dais was forced down on one knee, Melissa bolted towards Sarah. But before she could reach Sarah, Dais grabbed Melissa's wrist. When skin-to-skin contact happened, Dais and Melissa were unprepared for what was going to happen next. 


	30. Chapter 28

Chapter 28  
  
Melissa almost swore she heard the sound of the ocean crashing onto the shore. She also felt heat coming down on her, 'it feels like the summer sun is beating down on me,' she thought.  
As she continued to feel the heat, Melissa swore something was crawling up her leg. Melissa's soul saw a large spider crawl up her leg and bite her. Melissa screamed; the bite was so painful that she didn't realize that she couldn't even move. What ever was preventing her from moving was being wound around her body, 'am I being placed in some kind of cocoon?'  
Dais had heard Melissa scream and tried to get to her. But he felt like something was tying him down. Dais suddenly realized that his soul was being confined in a cocoon of silk thread made by spiders, 'no!' he thought, 'I have to get to Melissa.'  
Melissa was trapped in a silk cocoon, she tried to bust out, but she couldn't move. The air was heavy and oppressive in the cocoon, and in desperation, Melissa let out a strangled ear-piercing scream.  
That scream woke Dais up from the trace. He noticed Melissa was struggling to breathe, sweating, and holding leg where she had gotten "bitten", 'she's my partner,' Dais realized, 'that's why Anubis and Sekhmet told me to be careful.'  
When Melissa couldn't take the oppressive feeling anymore, she passed out. With one swift motion, Dais caught her and cradled her close to him. He glared at the other girls, "she needs to come with me."  
"Like Hell she's coming with you," Sarah responded.  
"Put her down on the ground, slowly," Melody replied, "or Mr. Mallet is going to whack you upside your head."  
"Put her down Dais," Jazalyn said, "if she's not breathing, you could put her in real danger."  
"She's breathing," Dais responded truthfully, "but she is coming with me."  
"Why?" Sarah demanded angrily.  
"She's my partner," Dais said flatly.  
'So all five us have found our partners,' Sarah thought, shocked at Dais' words, 'I'm going to have to talk to Brian about our little "problem".'  
Dais looked at the girls, 'Anubis was right, they aren't your average prey.'  
Dais then looked up at the ceiling. Using his energy, Dais leapt through the ceiling and onto the roof with Melissa still in his arms.  
"Shit!" Sarah cursed, "that SOB has Melissa!"  
"Well then, let's get going," Jazalyn replied.  
"Where exactly are we going?" Melody asked.  
"To get the Ronins," Jazalyn replied, as she raced toward the entrance of the temple.  
  
Cye, Brian, and Ryo were standing outside the temple, "Are you sure you saw Melissa, Sarah, Melody, and Jazalyn go in there?" Ryo asked.  
"I'm…" but before Brian could say he was sure that they had gone inside, Sarah, Jazalyn, and Melody came running out.  
"What happened?" Ryo asked, trying to help his partner calm down.  
"Dais…" Sarah panted, "He's…got…Melissa."  
"WHAT!" Brian yelled.  
"That's right Ronin runts," a voice laughed, "and I have your friend Rowen of the Strata too."  
Everyone looked up at the roof of the temple. Dais was standing in plan view with Melissa in his arms. "Put her down," Ryo ordered.  
Dais laughed, "Is that how it works, Wildfire? You and Torrent can have your partners and yet you deny me my partner?"  
Sarah growled, how dare he take this situation lightly!  
Dais smiled at Sarah's frustration, "If you want Melissa and Rowen, then you will have to find them in Kyoto."  
With a haughty laugh, Dais teleported away with Melissa still in his arms. 


	31. Chapter 29

Chapter 29  
  
"THAT GODDAMN SON-OF-A-BITCH," Sarah yelled, "DAIS IS NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!"  
"It looks like Cye and I are going to have to go to Kyoto ahead of you guys," Ryo concluded.  
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?" Sarah yelled again.  
"We have to go," Cye replied, "It's the only way we can retrieve Melissa and Rowen."  
"You two do realize that you could be walking into a trap," Jazalyn said in a concerned tone.  
"Yes," Ryo sighed, "but it's a trap we have to walk into anyway. If Dais does have Rowen, then we have to rescue him."  
"And what about Melissa?" Sarah shot back.  
"We'll get her too," Ryo promised.  
"I'm going with you," Melody responded.  
"No," Cye said, "We need you and the other three to stay here. Just incase the others show up."  
"But I don't want to stay," Melody whined.  
"Don't whine," Brian glared daggers at Melody, "you'll just have to trust their judgment."  
Melody snorted, but she agreed to stay and wait for Mia and the others.  
"We'll meet you guys in Kyoto," Cye replied.  
"Be careful mate," Brian said as he looked at Cye  
Sarah looked at Ryo with a serious expression, "Don't get killed, okay."  
Ryo smiled, "I'll be fine."  
With that, the two boys made tracks towards Kyoto.  
  
"WHAT!" Mia said in complete shock.  
"That's what they told us," Jazalyn replied, not even flinching from Mia's shocked look, "they were going to Kyoto."  
Sage sighed, "They do realize that they could be walking right into a trap."  
"Jazalyn told them the same thing," Brian replied, "but they were determined to go on ahead."  
"Then everyone get in," Mia replied, pointing to the jeep, "We're going to Kyoto."  
  
Dais looked at Melissa, he had placed her on a stone-carved altar in a nearby cave. 'She'll be safe here,' Dais thought. Then he thought about the five Ronin Warriors, 'those hypocritical brats.' Dais raged silently, 'They would never let anyone take their partners away from them, but they have no problem keeping us away from our partners. Such hypocritical fools, once I'm done with them, Wildfire and Torrent won't have anything to worry about because they'll be dead.'  
Much to Dais' surprise, a soldier walked in, "Sir, our scouts have reported seeing two Ronin Warriors heading this way."  
"Which two?" Dais asked.  
"Ryo of the Wildfire and Cye of the Torrent," the soldier replied.  
"Very good," Dais replied, "Thank you for telling me."  
"Hai, Dais-sama," the soldier replied as he bowed and left the cave.  
Dais threw his head back and laughed, this was even better than he expected. The first two to fall into his trap were the two Ronins that had partners. This was going better than he had originally planned. 


	32. Chapter 30

Chapter 30  
  
The jeep was going as fast as Mia could push down on the accelerator. Everyone in the jeep was tense, especially Sarah and Brian. 'I have to get to Melissa,' Sarah prayed, 'If her son-of-a-bitch partner hurts her, he's going to regret it.'  
Jazalyn could feel the tension in the car, 'I guess when you have a bunch of unpredictable Warlords,' she concluded, 'you have every right to be tense.'  
"Can't this vehicle go any faster?" Kento argued.  
"We have to be patient," Sage replied, "Worrying isn't going to help."  
"YOU MAY NOT BE WORRIED," Sarah yelled at Sage, "BUT MY BEST FRIEND HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY HER SON-OF-A-BITCH PARTNER AND I WANT HER BACK."  
"Is yelling at me going to make this jeep go any faster?" Sage shot back.  
"No," Sarah blushed.  
"Then be patient," Brian glared, "I'm worried about Melissa too."  
As they drove toward Kyoto, Jazalyn looked behind her, "Uh, Mia."  
"Yes," Mia replied.  
"We have soldiers with spears following us," Jazalyn informed her.  
"Shit," Melody swore, "I guess Dais doesn't want us to reach Kyoto."  
"Stop the car," Sage replied.  
"Why?" Melody asked.  
"Kento and I are going to care of these tin cans," Sage explained. "You five go and find Melissa."  
"ARE YOU TWO OUT OF YOUR MINDS?" Sarah yelled.  
"No," Kento replied, "but you five need to get to Ryo and Cye."  
"Be careful," Jazalyn whispered as Kento and Sage exited the jeep.  
  
Dais gloated over Ryo and Cye. 'Foolish boys,' he thought, 'did they really think that they could defeat me. Making them fight each other, by using my illusion, I didn't have throw a single punch.'  
Dais smirked, "Hypocritical fools, you tried to take my partner away from me, for that crime, you both shall die."  
As Dais raised one of his scythes over Ryo's chest, he thought he heard a vehicle rumbling, 'impossible!' he thought, 'the guards should have been able to prevent them from making it this far.'  
"We don't go down that easily," Brian yelled as the car stopped and everyone jumped out.  
"You!" Dais glared, stepping away from the two boys, "You and Wildfire's partner are becoming a pain."  
"Then I guess we've been upgraded from prey to annoyance," Melody smiled.  
"I want Melissa," Sarah demanded.  
"You can't have her," Dais smirked.  
"Give her back," Brian demanded.  
Dais gave off a sharp, piercing laugh, "Is that how it works, Brian, Partner of Torrent? Torrent and Wildfire can be with their partners, and yet you deny me my partner?"  
"You can't take care of her," Brian bit out, "bringing Melissa to Talpa would only put her in more danger."  
Dais glared, "You have no right to judge me. You have no idea what it's like, living in darkness, knowing that you will never have anything to hold onto, or treasure. Besides, why would you deny someone their hikari?"  
Brian glared at the spider-armored Warlord.  
Dais smiled, "You're an ignorant hypocrite. You would never let anyone tear Torrent away from you, and yet here you stand, ready to take my partner away from me. Who's the real hypocrite? A Warlord with what you mortals call a "bad reputation" or an arrogant big brother that's too afraid to let one of his little sisters grow up."  
"And where exactly are you going to take her?" Brian demanded, "Talpa will only use her as a pawn against you. I'm only trying to keep her safe. Putting Melissa into your care is only going to cause more pain."  
Dais grew enraged, "You hypocritical fool, you know nothing of my type of protection." With that said, Dais teleported away.  
  
NOTES:  
1. Hikari means Light 


	33. Chapter 31

Chapter 31  
  
"This is more fucked up than I thought," Jazalyn whispered.  
"I know what you mean," Sarah shivered, "It's too quiet."  
Brian was about to tell Jazalyn not to use foul language, when he heard a familiar voice cry out, "NOOOO!"  
"What was that?" Melody asked.  
"It sounded like Kento," Brian replied.  
Jazalyn and Melody then noticed that Sarah had moved away from the group, towards Ryo and Cye. "Ryo," Sarah whispered, touching her partner's face, "What did Dais do to you?"  
Ryo gently moved his head, "the cave…in front of you. Dais is holding Melissa in…there. I could feel her…Dais interfered. He used an illusion…Cye and I knocked each other out. He laughed, saying that he would never give Melissa up…and that we would never find Rowen."  
"Damn him!" Sarah cursed.  
Jazalyn walked over to Ryo and put her first two fingers on his neck, "He has a pulse," she stated, "And since he's talking, we know that he's breathing."  
Jazalyn then walked over to Cye and did the same assessment she had done with Ryo. When Jazalyn was sure that Cye had a pulse, she listened for signs of breathing. "They'll both be fine," Jazalyn told Sarah and Brian.  
"Good," Melody giggled, "I don't want to see you give mouth-to-mouth Rescue Breathing."  
Jazalyn glared at her best friend.  
"I'm going into the cave," Brian replied, ignoring Melody's joke.  
"Are you nuts?" Sarah glared.  
"No," Brian replied.  
"I'll go with you," Melody replied.  
"Then I'm going too," Jazalyn responded. Then she looked at Sarah, "Will you be okay out here?"  
"Yes," Sarah replied, "just bring Melissa out safely"  
  
The cave wasn't cold, much to Melody's surprise. 'I wonder why Dais made the cave comfortable?' She thought, 'It was only going to be used temporarily.'  
As Brian, Jazalyn, and Melody wandered around the cave, Jazalyn thought she heard the sound of someone waking up. 'That better be Melissa,' she thought, 'I don't want to find out that we've just walked into another trap.'  
When the three partners got to the center of the cave, they saw Melissa sitting on a table-like altar. "You okay?" Jazalyn asked.  
"I'm fine." Melissa replied, rubbing her eyes, "Where am I?"  
"You're in a cave outside of Kyoto," Brian replied, "Dais took you from that temple in Tembashi and brought you here."  
"Oh," Melissa replied, putting her glasses on.  
"Can you stand up?" Jazalyn questioned.  
"Of course I can," Melissa replied as she got off the table-like altar.  
Melissa walked towards the others, "Where's Sarah?"  
"She's outside," Melody replied.  
"Then we'd better go out there," Melissa smiled. "She's probably going to have a heart attack."  
  
When everyone got outside, Kento was walking towards the partners with Sage in his arms. "Dais used an illusion," he replied, "he made me think that Sage was the enemy."  
"Where's Dais now?" Melissa asked.  
"I blew him back to the Dynasty," Kento smiled.  
"He also bragged about us not finding Rowen," Ryo replied weakly.  
Jazalyn looked around, "Well, until all of us get better, we're not going to do anymore rescue missions. Got it?"  
Everyone smiled. 


	34. Chapter 32

WARNING: The poems in this chapter are done by the author and the four consenting authors. Some of them are new at poetry, so I DO NOT WANT TO FIND ANY FLAMES. FLAMERS WILL BE BLOCKED FROM REVIEWING MY STORIES BY USING THE BLOCK USERS OPTION. AFTER THE FLAMER HAS BEEN BLOCKED, I WILL INFORM THE FLAMED WRITTER. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS NOT MY PROBLEM.   
  
Chapter 32  
  
Dais slammed his fist against the wall in his room, "Those hypocritical children!" he raged, "How dare they keep Melissa away from me. Torrent's partner and Wildfire's partner will pay for this with their lives!"  
"I see you're having the same problem that Sekhmet and I are having," a voice laughed.  
Dais turned to look at the Warlord of Cruelty. "They're fiercely loyal to one another," Anubis replied, "What made you think they would turn on each other?"  
"I guess your arrogance got the better of you Dais," another voice sneered.  
Dais shifted his gaze towards the figure that was standing next to Anubis, "They won't betray each other," Sekhmet replied, "so using logic against them isn't going to help."  
"I'm open to ideas," Dais bit out angrily.  
Anubis' eyes gleamed, "I have one, but it includes some of your Illusion Potions and some Sleeping Powder."  
  
Ryo, Sage, Cye, Kento, and Mia were sitting around the campfire they had built for the night, "I read the poem," Mia sighed, "but I still can't figure out where Rowen is."  
"Do you think Talpa knows where he is?" Sage asked.  
"I don't know," Mia replied, "but if they do know something, then they'll be sure to take full advantage of it."  
Ryo glanced at the partner's campfire. "If we do find out anything, then we'll have to be careful. Talpa can easily use the partners as pawns."  
"Then we won't tell them what we're up too," Kento concluded.  
"It's not that easy," Cye replied, "because Ryo and I have partners, we can't do spur-of-the-moment missions anymore. It could put Sarah and Brian in danger."  
"Then let's get some rest," Mia sighed, "we can talk about this tomorrow."  
  
Laughter rang out from the partner's campfire as Melissa began telling dirty jokes, 'I guess Sarah was right,' Jazalyn thought, 'Melissa is a totally different person once you get to know her.'  
While everyone else was laughing, Jazalyn pulled out her poetry book and began to write in it. "You finally got over your poet's block," Melody teased, noticing Jazalyn writing in her book.  
"Yep," Jazalyn smiled.  
"I'd like to hear some of your poetry," Melissa asked.  
"Then why don't we have a poetry read off," Sarah suggested.  
"That would be great," Melody beamed as she grabbed her poetry book.  
When everyone had his or her book, Sarah asked, "Who wants to go first?"  
"I will," Jazalyn volunteered.  
"Hit it," Melody smiled.  
  
"My loyalty is toward the side of good  
But my partner is evil  
My friends want me stay with them  
My partner wants to take me into the Darkness of the Dynasty  
I care about my friends  
But I also care about my partner  
Why do I feel like I'm being pulled in a tug-of-war?  
Why do I feel like I have to choose?  
The one I'm meant to change  
Or the one's who help me grow  
If I'm meant to change and grow  
Then give me the strength  
To endure this game  
Of tug-of-war"  
  
"Wow," Melissa said, "good poem."  
"It really shows an open and honest conflict," Brian responded.  
"It was also written on the spur-of-the-moment," Jazalyn smiled.  
"So whose next?" Sarah asked.  
"I am," Brian replied.  
"Go for it," Melody replied.  
  
"Trust is not something taken lightly  
So hold on  
And hold on tightly.  
I may not be much of a talker  
But I am one who does a lot of walking.  
I take care of my friends  
No matter what bends that I have to go through.  
When I give my trust to someone  
Which is rare  
It is done with care.  
Trust is a two way street.  
And that is something that can't be beat."  
  
"That's good," Jazalyn replied.  
"I'm new to poetry," Brian blushed. "I'm more use to writing stories."  
"It's still a good first try," Melissa smiled.  
"So who wants to go next?" Melody asked.  
"I will," Sarah volunteered.  
"Shoot," Jazalyn replied.  
  
"I look at you,  
you look at me.  
I see the person I want to be.  
I want to tell you.  
the secret I never told.  
I love you.  
I know you'd laugh.  
so I don't tell.  
yet part of me wants to.  
part wants me to run into your arms.  
my other part won't let me.  
my fear of rejection won't  
let me tell you.  
I want you to know  
I will always be there for you.  
why?  
because I love you."  
  
"How sweet," Jazalyn smiled.  
"Are you thinking about that boy you were staring at during the Leadership Conference?" Melissa teased.  
"No," Sarah shot back.  
"Oooh, Sarah has a boyfriend," Melody teased.  
"Stop it," Sarah blushed.  
Everyone burst out laughing. "Even if the poem weren't for a boy," Jazalyn replied, "I still think it's a very beautiful."  
"Thanks," Sarah smiled.  
"So who wants to go next?" Brian asked.  
"I will," Melissa spoke up.  
"Then let's hear it," Jazalyn smiled.  
  
"Dais, Warlord of Illusion  
You have power over lies  
And yet you seem to be lost in them  
Like a spider trapped in his own web  
Why are you the way you are?  
I can tell you are not the way you seem  
Your eye betrays you  
Knowing of all the lives you've destroyed, I have every right hate you  
Yet I do not  
I want to help you, return you to your proper self  
But for me to help you, you have to let me  
Until you do, I will cry for you  
And pray"  
  
"Wow," Jazalyn replied, "not only was that beautiful, but was also soulful."  
"Thanks," Melissa blushed.  
"I think the poem explains the conflicting emotions very well," Melody concluded.  
"What about your poem?" Brian asked.  
"I wrote mine before I came here," Melody blushed, "Are you sure you want to hear it?"  
"Of course," Jazalyn replied.  
"Okay," Melody sighed, "here goes."  
  
"Walking down the street,  
Through metropolitan where people meet.  
I watch people run to greet the ones they love,  
Wondering why I can't have an angel from above.  
Alone, that's all I've ever known through my pathetic life.  
Sometimes I want to end my misery, one swift motion with a jagged knife.  
Why? I'm sure you're wondering.  
Oh, if you only knew what I was thinking.  
Don't get me wrong, I have a stable household,  
or so I've always been told.  
The man who I have always called 'Dad' is no father.  
Well, only to my older brother.  
My mother had an affair with God only knows who.  
She got pregnant, what was she to do?  
'Keep it.' She thought heard someone whisper to her.  
So here I am, the 'love child' of the family, the disgrace of the family.  
I feel so out of place, so homely.  
I'm known as the families 'little secret', which I despise being called.  
Each night my only comfort was my tears as I bawled.  
Father, I wish I knew you. Then I knew I wasn't a waste.  
To touch you, to see your face.  
Growing up was hard, forcing me to act tough and cold.  
'Why can't you act more like your brother?' or 'Act like your brother.' was what I was always asked and told.  
So, that's what I did. So I could be Dad's pride and joy.  
Acting's not too hard. I've done it all my life. From pretending to be happy to acting like a tomboy.  
Baggy clothing is my friend, hiding my pain within bulk.  
Walking alone, always told not to sulk.  
How can I not?! My life is literary a living HELL!  
I want a new life. My soul I would sell.  
Piety. I honestly don't know what it means, but from my necklace it hangs.  
Relieving all my sorrow and pains.  
The necklace has some symbolic meaning.  
Maybe my destiny has something to do with it.  
Ha! That's a good one. I don't believe that one bit.  
Out of everyone in the world, why would someone choose me?  
It's getting dark, I'll have to get home. I don't want to face my Dad's wrath. You don't know  
how horrible he can be.  
A soul mate, that's what I'd like. Someone who is lost in the world, just like me.  
As I walk home I hold my necklace tight. Someday I will find out what it means, then maybe,  
just maybe, I can share my destiny.  
With friends, something I lack.  
I want someone to watch my back.  
As I would their's.  
Someone who cares.  
Okay, enough, no more sorrow. I'm home.  
I must put on a fake smile. Forced to hide behind a mask.  
I guess I'm forced to always be an outcast."  
  
Everyone looked at Melody, "That was good," Jazalyn replied, "You were very honest about what you wrote."  
"And that's what makes a good poem," Sarah replied, "Honesty."  
Jazalyn looked at Melody; there was something on her best friend's face that she couldn't explain. "Mel," Jazalyn asked, "are you okay?"  
"Can I talk to you for a few minutes, alone?" Melody asked Jazalyn.  
"Sure," Jazalyn smiled. 


	35. Chapter 33

Chapter 33  
  
Jazalyn and Melody walked away from the campsite. "Melody," Jazalyn asked in a soothing tone, "is there something you want to talk about?"  
Melody looked at her best friend, "I was just thinking about what would've happened if Dais had succeeded in taking Melissa away from us."  
Suddenly, Melody burst into tears, "there were so many times when I thought that Anubis was going to take you away from me, or Melissa was going to get kidnapped. I'm scared to death for the both of you."  
Jazalyn sighed, "You don't need to worry about me or Melissa. Worrying isn't going to help anyone."  
"Every time I think about our partners," Melody sobbed, "I feel this overwhelming sense of fear. I don't want you two to get hurt or kidnapped."  
Jazalyn hugged Melody in an attempt to comfort her best friend, "remember when I would sing "Best Friend" by S Club 7?"  
"You always sang that song just so you could piss me off," Melody smiled through her tears.  
"Well," Jazalyn smiled, suppressing the urge to giggle, "I'm not going to let you down, and I'm always going to be around for you."  
"Is that a promise?" Melody asked.  
"Of course," Jazalyn replied.  
"But we aren't in a "normal" situation," Melody said in a serious tone.  
"I know." Jazalyn sighed as she let go of her best friend and roommate, "We're being put to the test. I just hope that we'll live through this so we can see our families again. If my dad ever found out about this, I would never be allowed to leave Hawai'i."  
"Hey!" Melissa called out, "You two okay?"  
"Yep," Jazalyn replied, "Melody just needed to get some feelings out of her system."  
Melissa then ran over to the two girls, "Everyone was wondering where you two went. You guys have been gone for at least 10 minutes."  
"We're fine," Melody reassured Melissa, "I just had to get something off my chest."  
"Well, we'd better…" but before Melissa could say another word, all three girls heard the sound of someone crying. 


	36. Chapter 34

Chapter 34  
  
"What was that?" Melody asked.  
"Sounds like someone's crying," Jazalyn replied.  
"But who would be crazy enough to be out here alone?" Melissa asked.  
"Let's find out," Jazalyn suggested.  
  
When Melissa, Melody, and Jazalyn reached the source of the noise, they found a 7-year-old boy sitting alone with his knees drawn up to his chest. Jazalyn took a closer look at the boy; he had long reddish-brown that was pulled into a low ponytail. His eyes were a vivid blue-green color, and his eyebrows were split at the ends. 'He'll grow up to be a very handsome young man,' Jazalyn thought.  
"Are you okay?" She asked the boy.  
The little boy looked up at her, "I want my mother," he sobbed.  
"Shhh, it's okay," Jazalyn whispered as she moved towards the boy.  
The boy looked at Jazalyn with tears in his eyes, 'Mitsuko,' he thought as began to rub his arm. That's when Jazalyn realized that the boy had a nasty cut on his right arm. "Let me get that wound taken care of," she said to the boy in a soothing manner.  
The boy leaned away from Jazalyn as soon as she took out some cotton balls and Hydrogen Peroxide from her First Aid bag. "This may sting a little."  
As she cleansed the wound, Jazalyn looked at the boy, "are you alone?" She asked  
"No," the boy replied, "I have two other friends. One's near that grove of bushes over by the large maple tree, and the other one is down by the river."  
"I'll go check for the boy that's hiding around the bushes," Melody told Jazalyn.  
"And I'll go see about the boy down by the river," Melissa volunteered.  
"Okay," Jazalyn replied, "but bring them back here, it's too dangerous for them to be out there alone."  
"You got it," Melissa and Melody smiled.  
  
After Jazalyn cleaned the wound and bandaged it, she looked at the boy, "What's your name?"  
"Toshitada," the boy replied.  
"I'm Jazalyn," Jazalyn smiled.  
"Ja-za-lyn," Toshitada replied, trying to sound out the name.  
"Yep," Jazalyn smiled.  
"It's an unusual name," the boy replied, "but it's very pretty."  
Jazalyn blushed, "Arigatoo."  
Then Toshitada looked at Jazalyn's hair, "You have a very pretty hair color."  
Jazalyn blushed even harder.  
  
Melody ran towards the bushes, 'it shouldn't be hard to spot him,' she thought, 'a little boy doesn't exactly blend in with a lonely forest very well.'  
As she got closer to the bushes, Melody heard sobbing. Following the sound, Melody found a 7-year-old boy crying. "What's wrong?" She asked.  
The boy hid his face, "don't look at me."  
"Why?" Melody asked.  
"Just don't look," the boy told her more forceful manner.  
Melody sighed, "I need you to look at me," she told the boy in a gentle voice, "I'm only trying to help you."  
"You'll run from me," the boy sobbed.  
"No, I won't," Melody promised. "Now look at me."  
The boy looked straight up at Melody, 'Hikari,' he thought.  
Melody's eyes went wide, the boy had pale skin and diamond shaped eyes that were beady looking. 'Like a snake's eyes,' she thought.  
Melody also noticed that the boy's eyelids were the same shade of purple as the two strands of hair that framed her face, "My two hair strands and your eyelids are the same color," Melody whispered in amazement.  
They boy looked away, "am I a freak?" He sobbed.  
Melody smiled, "no, you're not a freak."  
The boy smiled. "What's your name?" He asked.  
"Melody," Melody smiled.  
"Mel-o-dy," the boy tried to sound out the girl's name.  
"Yep," Melody smiled, "What's your name?"  
"Naotoki," the boy beamed.  
"We need to get you back to your friend." Melody said to the boy.  
"Can you carry me?" Naotoki asked.  
"Sure," Melody smiled as she picked the boy up.  
  
Melissa ran towards the river as fast as she could, 'I can't believe that three little boys are out here alone with the Dynasty running lose.'  
When Melissa got to the river, she saw an 11-year-old boy sitting on the bank, 'why is he out here alone?' She thought.  
The boy turned around and looked at Melissa, "have you come to take me away from Mama and Papa?" He asked.  
"No," Melissa replied, "I want to help you find them."  
"I hope so," the boy replied. 'Yoko,' the boy thought as a tear slid down his cheek.  
"What's your name?" Melissa asked.  
"My name is Jirougorou," the boy replied, "but you can call me Jiro. It's what my friends call me. What's your name?"  
"Melissa," Melissa responded.  
"Mel-is-sa," the boy sounded out the girl's name, "it's a pretty name".  
"Speaking of your…" Melissa stopped in mid-sentence to look at the boy. He had straight black hair that came down to his shoulders. He only had one good eye because his other eye was covered with an eye patch. What surprised Melissa was the fact that his good eye was a dark blue color, 'that's an unusual eye color for someone who's Japanese.'  
"What about my friends?" Jiro asked.  
"They're with my friends," Melissa replied, "I'll take you to them."  
Jiro smiled, "Thank you."  
  
NOTES:  
1. Yoko is a name. It means Sun Child.  
2. Mitsuko is a name. It means Child of Light.  
3. Hikari is a name. It means Light.  
4. Arigatoo means "Thank you." 


	37. Chapter 35

Chapter 35  
  
Melody, Jazalyn, Melissa, and the three boys met by the tree where the girls had found Toshitada, "Are these the two you were looking for?" Jazalyn asked.  
"Yes," Toshitada smiled.  
"Can we stay with you?" Jiro asked.  
"We'll have to talk to…" Melissa began, until she heard a rumble of thunder.  
"Great," Melody sighed, "a thunderstorm."  
Lightning streaked across the sky. When Jazalyn looked up, she realized that the lightning was black. Then she jerked her head towards the boys, "you set us up."  
"What do you mean they…?" Melissa asked, until she saw a bolt of lightning hit the nearest tree.  
Melody's eyes went wide, "lightning isn't black, and the last time I…" then she looked at the boys. "Run!" she yelled.  
Suddenly, green fire encircled the girls. "Just fucking great," Jazalyn swore, "we walked right into a trap."  
"Tell me something I don't know," Melody replied.  
"I have no clue on how we're going to get out of this," Jazalyn replied.  
"That's just fucking great," Melody bit out sarcastically.  
"I'm open to ideas," Melissa replied in a shaky voice.  
The "boys" looked at the trapped girls, "Don't resist," the Warlord who masqueraded as Toshitada told the girls.  
"Burn in Hell!" Melody swore.  
The Warlord that masqueraded as Jirougorou pulled something out of his pocket, "Go to sleep peacefully," he said as he threw rainbow colored dust into the air.  
The dust landed inside the circle and immediately, all three girls began to cough, "I'm so tired," Melissa whispered before she fell asleep on the ground.  
"Meliss…" Melody slurred before she hit the ground.  
'Have…to…call…others,' Jazalyn thought as she grew tired. But the sleeping powder was just too much for her, and she fell asleep.  
With the girls asleep, Dais dropped his Jirougorou disguise, Sekhmet dropped his Naotoki disguise, and Anubis dropped his Toshitada disguise. The fire had died down and nothing was left except for a charred black ring. Each Warlord picked up their partner. "Let's get going," Anubis replied, "I want to make sure everything is ready for them."  
"Before we go," Dais replied, "I want to get revenge on the partners of Torrent and Wildfire."  
"How do you intend to do that?" Sekhmet asked.  
"With what we have," Dais laughed.  
  
"WHERE ARE THEY?" Sarah yelled.  
"Chill," Kento replied, "it's only been 15 minutes. Maybe they got sidetracked."  
"By what?" Brian asked.  
"You mean by whom?" A deep voice laughed.  
All four Ronins, Mia, Brian, and Sarah looked towards their right. Everyone's eyes went wide when they saw Anubis, Dais, and Sekhmet, in their armor, holding Jazalyn, Melissa, and Melody in their arms. "Put them down," Brian ordered.  
Dais laughed, "It comes full circle. Foolish arrogant boy, did you really think that you could keep them away from us?"  
"Let them go," Brian growled louder.  
"No," Dais replied with a smirk, "You dared to cross paths with us. You tried to deny us our partners. Consider this punishment for your defiance."  
"Put them down," Sarah bit out, "If you have a problem with us, then let's settle it right here, right now."  
Dais glared at Sarah, "You are just as guilty as Torrent's partner." Then he looked at the four Ronins, Mia, and the two remaining partners, "Take one last look at them. You will never see them again."  
"Dais…" Mia began, but before she could finish, all three Warlords teleported away. 


	38. Chapter 36

Chapter 36  
  
Cye and Ryo decided to let their partners have some space. Ryo had wanted to tell Sarah that everything was going to be okay, but when he heard her swearing and yelling every profanity she knew in English and in Japanese, Ryo decided to stay out of her way until she clamed down.  
For his part, Brian had walked off to private spot in the woods. When he didn't come back for a half an hour, Mia got worried. When Brian did come back, his fists were swollen and his knuckles were raw and bleeding.  
Mia tried her best to bandage Brian's knuckles; but every time she wraped the Ace Bandage around his knuckles, it only jarred more painful memories for Brian. He was used to Jazalyn treating his wounds. "When I get my hands on those three," Brian vowed, "I'm going to make them pay for what they did. No one takes my little sisters away from me and gets away with it."  
"Brian," Mia replied in a soothing tone, "you're not going to be able to do anything until you get better."  
"I'm going to get them back," Brian promised. "And when I do, I'm going to personally run Dais through with his scythes."  
"We can't even think about an assault on the castle until we find Rowen," Mia replied realistically.  
"I know," Brian sighed, "but I just can't stand the thought of Jazalyn, Melissa, and Melody being used as pawns."  
  
Anubis placed Jazalyn on his bed. 'She'll be safe here,' he thought. 'As long as Cale doesn't know and Master Talpa never finds out the truth about her, she'll be safe.'  
Anubis had no intention of telling Talpa the truth about Jazalyn, 'she'll be used as a pawn if Master Talpa finds out she's from the Sun Goddess,' he thought. 'I'm not going to let anyone use my partner as a pawn.'  
Anubis' thoughts were interrupted when a young serving girl walked into the room. "Anubis-sama," the servant spoke, "the bathhouse is ready for your guest."  
"Very good, Sakura," Anubis replied. "Are the showers ready to be used?"  
"Yes sir," Sakura replied.  
"Good," Anubis responded, "Were you able to get a change of clothes for our guest?"  
"A pair of clean clothes was taken from her dorm room," the girl replied.  
"Very good, Sakura," Anubis finished, "You may go now."  
"Hai, Anubis-sama," Sakura replied as she left the room. 


	39. Chapter 37

Chapter 37  
  
Sekhmet laid Melody on his bed. As he watched her sleep, he began to play with a purple strand of her hair. 'I hope she doesn't run from me because of the way I look,' he thought as he stared into the mirror on his dresser.  
As Sekhmet stared at his image, he gasped. 'When was the last time I looked at my soul?' He thought as he saw a reflection of light in his eyes.  
As Sekhmet turned to face Melody, a serving girl walked in. "Sekhmet-sama," the girl replied, "the bathhouse is ready for your guest."  
"Does she have anything to change into?" Sekhmet demanded.  
"Hai, a pair of clean clothes were taken from her dorm room," the girl assured Sekhmet.  
"Very good Akiko," the Warlord of Venom replied, "you are dismissed"  
"Hai," the servant replied as she left the room.  
  
Dais gently placed Melissa on his bed. As he looked at his partner, his began to think about his two little sisters, Natsuko and Aya. 'Nothing will take you away from me,' Dais promised Melissa mentally, 'you'll be safe here. That arrogant "older brother" of yours won't keep you from me this time.'  
Turning around, Dais noticed that one of the serving girls had walked in. "Dais-sama," the girl replied, "all is ready for your guest."  
"Does she have a pair of clothes to change into?" the Illusion Warlord asked.  
"Hai, " the girl responded.  
"Very good Midori," Dais nodded, "you are dismissed."  
"Hai Dais-sama," Midori replied as she left the room.  
  
At the campsite, Mia and Brian were trying to analyze the last line of the poem so they could find Rowen. "I hope we can find him before Talpa does," Mia sighed.  
"We can only do our best," Brian smiled, as he put his arm around Mia's shoulder. "Besides, you're not the only one who wants to kick the Dynasty's butt."  
Sarah tried to ignore the conversation by burying her nose in a book of poems written about the stars. Suddenly, Sarah realized something, "Hey Mia."  
"Yes," Mia replied.  
"Where does the poem say we'll find Rowen?"  
"Floating among the eyes of the ages, unmoored in the stream of the sky." Mia replied  
"I've been reading some poems about the stars," Sarah began.  
"How is that going to help us?" Ryo asked.  
"Just listen to this poem," Sarah replied.  
  
"Tonight the stars look at me from the sky  
The stars always seem to know  
The stars tell me of the past  
The eyes of yesterday, today, and tomorrow."  
  
"Let's try the heavens," Mia replied.  
After she typed in the word heavens, the computer began to access the information. Mia smiled, "I've got it. I know where Rowen is."  
"Where?" Sage asked.  
"It says that space or the heavens was where the Armor of Strata was formed," Mia read.  
"It makes sense," Sarah smiled.  
"How?" Kento asked.  
"Strata, the Stratosphere," Sarah replied. 


	40. Chapter 38

Chapter 38  
  
Later that night, the four Ronins, Mia, Brian, and Sarah gathered around the large campfire. "Well, we have good news and bad news," Sarah sighed.  
"What's the good news?" Cye asked.  
"We know where Rowen is," Brian replied.  
"And what's the bad news?" Sage asked.  
"I have no clue on how we're going to get him back," Sarah said flatly.  
"Great," Kento sighed. "And we don't even know if Talpa knows where Rowen is."  
"We can always try to get some information," Ryo suggested.  
"How?" Kento replied realistically, "We can't exactly go waltzing into the castle and ask for information."  
"Unless you want to leave with a decapitated head," Brian bit out.  
"BRIAN!" Mia and Sarah yelled in unison.  
"I'm sorry," Brian replied, "but right now I just feel like decapitating Dais' head."  
"If you keep this anger inside of you," Sage replied, "Talpa will use it as a weapon against you."  
"I don't feel like being analyzed," Brian growled.  
"Sage is right," Mia replied, "Talpa and the Dynasty feed off emotions such as anger and hate. Your anger against Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet will only make the Dynasty stronger."  
"And if they do get stronger," Sarah replied, "then we'll never get Jazalyn, Melissa, and Melody back."  
Brian sighed and looked up at the stars. He was angry with Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet, but he didn't want to make the Dynasty stronger with his anger. Brian was put in a situation where Dais knew he would be the winner. All Dais had to do was make Brian hate him, and the Dynasty would get stronger. 'I won't let you win Dais,' Brian thought as he clenched his fists, 'I won't give you that final victory.'  
  
Jazalyn stirred. "Melody," she mumbled, "did you get the serial number of that sleeping powder…" suddenly, Jazalyn realized that she was on something soft.  
"Who is Melody?" A female voice asked.  
Jazalyn opened her eyes and shot up from the bed. As she scanned the bedroom, she noticed she was it illuminated by blue flamed candles. 'Oh shit,' Jazalyn thought, 'I'm in the Dynasty.'  
As Jazalyn continued to look around the room, she saw a black-haired girl with Forest Green eyes sitting on a chair, sewing. "Who are you?" Jazalyn asked.  
"I am Sakura," the girl replied as she stood up and bowed formally, "I am glad to see you are awake. Master Anubis has talked about you for quite some time."  
"Oh," Jazalyn replied.  
"You need to come with me, Mistress," Sakura replied. "Master Anubis has insisted that you take a shower. He has some clean clothes for you as well."  
"Thank you," Jazalyn replied. "And please, call me Jazalyn. It feels uncomfortable when you call me Mistress."  
  
Melody was still in hazy dream world when she felt something slithering around her arm. When she opened her eyes, she saw a large cobra lying across her wrist. Melody screamed as loud as she could, she was terrified of snakes.  
"Bastik," a female voice scolded, "Master Sekhmet told you to stay away from her."  
The snake slithered away from Melody and off the bed. With her heart pounding and adrenaline running through her system, Melody finally realized that she was in the Dynasty. 'Shit, shit, shit, and damn it all to hell and back,' Melody swore mentally, 'this is not somewhere I want to be.'  
"I'm sorry about Bastik," a black haired girl with Midnight Black eyes looked at Melody, "He's very curious."  
"Who are you?" Melody asked.  
"I am Akiko, Mistress," the girl replied, bowing respectfully.  
Melody blushed, "Where's Sekhmet?"  
"He has been called to an audience with Lord Talpa," Akiko replied. "He wants you to take a shower and put on some clean clothes."  
"I do not smell bad," Melody snapped.  
"I know," Akiko replied, "but your clothes are a little messed up."  
Melody smiled as she looked at her dirty jeans and dirt-smeared T-Shirt. 


	41. Chapter 39

Chapter 39  
  
Melissa sighed as she felt the hot water that was coming from the shower, clean her body. She had woken up on a large bed in a semi-dark room only to find a serving girl who called herself Midori. Midori had then given Melissa some soap, shampoo, a towel, and a washcloth and told her that Dais had wanted her to get cleaned up. Knowing that she was on Dais' turf, Melissa agreed. 'I don't know why Dais wants me to get clean,' she thought, 'but considering the situation I'm in, I probably should do what he wants.'  
After her shower, Melissa wrapped the towel around her body and stepped into one of the bathroom stalls. There she put on a pair of her white socks, her underwear, a pair of jeans, her bra, and her sneakers. When she reached for the shirt, Melissa realized that it wasn't a shirt she owned. Melissa studied the shirt; it was dark green, the color of Dais' sub armor. When she felt the material of the shirt, realized that it was made of silk. On the shirt was a design of spider webs stitched with silver thread. 'Well,' Melissa thought, "I guess Dais wants me to be comfortable."  
After putting on the shirt, Melissa then put on her earrings, her glasses, and her Silver and Garnet ring. When she walked back into the room, she fussed with Midori about how she wanted her hair done, until she finally grabbed the brush from the servant and pulled her hair into a low ponytail. With that done, Melissa got up from the vanity table.  
As she looked around the room, Melissa noticed a small picture frame of two young women sitting on Dais' nightstand. "Midori," Melissa asked, "who are these two young women?"  
"They were Master Dais' two younger sisters," Midori replied, "The oldest girl is Natsuko and the youngest is Aya. Master Dais took care of them and his mother, Yin-Zan, after his father abandoned the family."  
Melissa looked at the older girl, Natsuko. 'I don't believe it,' she thought as she gasped, 'if I take my glasses off, I look exactly like Natsuko.'  
  
Everyone was asleep. 'Good,' Ryo thought, 'now I can sneak into the Dynasty and not put anyone in danger.'  
"You going alone?" A voice replied, startling Ryo.  
"Kento, what do you think you're doing?" Ryo whispered.  
"Going to help you get some information," Kento smiled.  
"And we're going too," Sarah and Brian replied, startling Ryo and Kento.  
"It's not safe," Ryo whispered.  
"Fine," Sarah smiled, "then we'll wake everyone up and tell them where you're going."  
"You wouldn't" Kento hissed.  
"Watch us," Brian smiled.  
Ryo and Kento knew that Sarah and Brian weren't bluffing, " All right," Ryo sighed, "you can come."  
"Thanks," Brian and Sarah whispered together. 


	42. Chapter 40

Chapter 40  
  
Jazalyn sighed as she walked down one of the gloomy hallways in the Dynasty castle. She had just finished showering and was now exploring the castle grounds. Jazalyn began to think about what had happened after she had stepped out of the shower. She noticed that a pair of her regular jeans, socks, bra, and underwear were had been laid out for her, but she also noticed a shirt she didn't own. It was a Dark Blue silk shirt, the color of Anubis' sub armor, with Cherry Blossoms stitched onto the shirt with gold thread.  
Jazalyn smiled; after she had gotten dressed, she had fussed with Sakura about her nose ring and her hair. The argument ended when Jazalyn grabbed the brush and put her hair back into her usual gold headband. 'I don't need an elaborate court hairstyle to be myself.' She thought.  
Suddenly, Jazalyn heard footsteps coming down the hall. Ducking into the shadows, she waited.  
  
Melody walked down the hall. She had just finished fussing with Akiko about her hair, until she agreed to have her two purple strands braided. When Akiko had finished, Melody's two purple strands of hair had been braided, and purple beads hid the elastic ties. 'Who knew Akiko knew how to braid hair the way Caribbean women braid hair?'  
"Psst, Mel," a voice in the shadows called out to her, "Are we alone?"  
Melody spun around to find Jazalyn stepping out of the shadows. "Thank God," Melody replied, as she ran to embrace her best friend.  
After their embrace, Jazalyn looked at Melody and smiled. "Well, you've got the baggy jeans and the silver bracelets. But you're wearing a silver bindi, your purple strands have been braided, and you're wearing a tight brown spaghetti strap tank top? I didn't think you wore tight clothes."  
"It's silk," Melody replied. "But it looks pretty cool on me. Besides, I've never owned a silk shirt in my life"  
"Well," another voice called out, "at least we're comfortable."  
Jazalyn and Melody turned around to find Melissa standing in the center of the hallway. "I'm glad you're safe Melissa," Jazalyn smiled.  
"For now," Melissa replied in a flat tone, "but Sarah and Brian aren't safe."  
"Any ideas?" Melody asked.  
  
Brian and Sarah ran down the dark, foggy streets while Kento and Ryo leapt from roof to roof. 'I hope we can get some information,' Ryo thought. 'No one is going to keep me from finding Rowen.'  
Down on the ground, Brian and Sarah ran as fast as they could. 'Just keep your mind focused,' Sarah told herself, 'Staying focused could mean the difference between life and death.'  
  
Deep within the bowels of the Dynasty castle, Anubis, Dais, Sekhmet, and Cale stood before a pit of lava. "Why has Master Talpa summoned us to watch this?" Anubis asked sharply.  
"Because," Sekhmet replied, "It is part of his plan to kill Rowen of the Strata."  
"Welcome my dear Warlords," Talpa's voice boomed as he appeared above the lava pit. "To answer your question Anubis, watch carefully."  
All of a sudden, five "cocoons" rose up from the lava and formed five "things" dressed in the clothing of Shinto Priests.  
"Behold," Talpa boomed, "my Nether Spirits. They will from and shape energy into anything I desire. With them, I will knock Rowen of the Strata out of space and kill him."  
"Amazing," all four Warlords whispered. 


	43. Chapter 41

Chapter 41  
  
Sarah and Brian kept running down the deserted streets of Downtown Tokyo. They had to make it to the castle. Nothing would stop them from reaching their friends, nothing. 'They've played with fire,' Brian thought, 'Now they get burned.'  
  
Melissa walked into Dais' room. She knew that she had been gone a long time, and Dais would begin to wonder where she was if he couldn't find her.  
As Melissa picked up the picture of Natsuko and Aya, the Illusion Warlord walked in. "I see you've found my most precious treasure."  
Melissa nearly jumped as she put the picture back on the nightstand and turned to face Dais, who was standing in front of her, wearing his Illusion armor. Melissa was silent; she knew that Dais would show her his face when he felt ready. "Is that one of the reasons you kidnapped me the first time?" Melissa asked, "Because I look like your sister Natsuko?"  
"That was one of the reasons," Dais replied.  
"What was the other?" Melissa responded.  
"You're my partner," Dais said calmly.  
"And because you kidnapped me," Melissa said flatly, "You pissed Brian off."  
Dais almost laughed, "Your "older brother" needs to grow up. It's time he realize that you are my partner, and that you are under my protection."  
"He's only trying to protect me," Melissa pointed out.  
Dais snorted, "He has no right to interfere. Besides, why should he have his partner and deny me my partner?"  
Melissa didn't answer.  
"We really shouldn't start our friendship off with masks and lies," Dais smiled as he called off his armor and stood in front of his partner wearing his Dark Green sub armor.  
Melissa gasped; the first thing she noticed about Dais was his wavy, shoulder-length white hair, his unusually pale skin, and his blue-gray eye. Melissa also noticed that the other eye was covered with a black eye patch. 'That was the exact same eye that was covered when Dais masqueraded as Jirougorou,' she told herself.  
Dais looked at Melissa. His partner had the same facial features as his sister Natsuko, but his partner had Light Brown eyes instead of Dark Brown. Moreover, Natsuko had Black hair, while Melissa's hair was a Sun Gold color. 'Fitting,' Dais thought, 'her mother is the Sun Goddess.'  
Melissa was becoming aware of how Dais was looking her and began to blush. "Is something wrong?" Dais asked.  
"I don't feel comfortable with the way you're looking at me," Melissa replied.  
"Sorry," Dais replied as he closed his eye.  
Melissa was shocked, since when did Dais become a polite gentleman?  
"Let's get out of this stuffy room," Dais smiled, "I want to show you the gardens."  
"What gardens?" Melissa asked, puzzled.  
"Let me show you." Dais replied. "I want to show you the garden through my Balcony Window."  
  
Melody walked back to Sekhmet's room, "I'm glad everyone is safe," she sighed.  
"And I'm glad you're safe," Sekhmet replied.  
Melody almost jumped at the sound of her partner's voice. When she turned around, she saw Sekhmet standing in the far corner of the room, wearing his brown sub armor, and hiding his face. "Sekhmet," Melody called out, "You don't have to hide from me."  
"I lied to you," Sekhmet replied, closing his eyes. "I lied to you because I was afraid that…"  
"That I would reject you because of the way you look," Melody finished.  
Sekhmet nodded.  
Melody sighed, "Don't worry, I'm not going to call you a freak. Besides, if you stop and think about it, how many, "normal" people have strands of purple hair?"  
Sekhmet didn't respond.  
Melody sighed again, "Look, I'm not going to call you a freak or anything, I'm going to treat you like a normal human being. So step out of the shadows and look at me."  
Sekhmet stepped out the shadows. There was something about this girl, something that he couldn't explain.  
"See," Melody smiled, "that wasn't so hard."  
"No, it wasn't." Sekhmet replied. 


	44. Chapter 42

Chapter 42  
  
'I can't believe that this is happening so fast,' Jazalyn thought as she sat down in on the barracks style bed that Sakura had left for her. 'But I guess it's better than… oh God, dad.'  
Tears began to well up in Jazalyn's eyes. If her father ever found out about this, Jazalyn knew he would try to find a way to get her out.  
Jazalyn shuddered at that thought; her father knew a lot about buildings. He had built and demolished enough buildings in Vietnam to understand their layout. But Talpa's castle was a totally different story.  
'Don't think about that,' Jazalyn told herself as the tears began to run down her face. 'You know that dad could get into the castle, but knowing how determined the Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet are, there's a good chance that he won't get out alive.'  
  
Anubis closed his eyes. He had felt Jazalyn's pain and rushed back to his room to comfort her.  
When Anubis saw the tears run down Jazalyn's face, he quickly realized that his partner was afraid. However, she was not afraid of what was going to happen to her, she was afraid of what would happen to her father and her friends. 'Her loyalty to her loved ones is incredible,' Anubis thought, 'I have never seen such fierce loyalty in an American girl.'  
Anubis shook his head, 'Her father never trained her as a warrior,' he realized, 'that's why she's afraid. She doesn't know how to protect or defend those she cares about.'  
Anubis walked over to his partner and gently placed his Dark Blue Gauntleted hands on her shoulders. "Don't cry," he soothed, "I can help you overcome these feelings of fear and helplessness."  
Jazalyn looked at her partner with tears going down her cheeks.  
"It's okay," Anubis smiled as he wiped away the tears, "I can teach you how to fight and defend yourself."  
Jazalyn looked at Anubis, "I'm not going to join the military."  
"That's not what I meant," Anubis replied, "I mean I'll teach you how to use a sword."  
Jazalyn smiled, "Don't you think a sword is inappropriate for a woman?"  
"You never followed conventional ways," Anubis laughed. "And neither will I."  
  
Sarah and Brian ran closer to the castle. 'If we can just open the gates,' Brian thought, 'then we can get in, and grab Melissa, Melody, and Jazalyn.'  
  
NOTES:  
1. In Anubis' time, a sword was not considered a proper weapon for a woman. Anubis is defying the traditions of his time by teaching Jazalyn how to use a sword. 


	45. Chapter 43

Chapter 43  
  
"DAIS, ANUBIS, I REQUIRE YOUR PRESENCE," Talpa's voice boomed throughout the Dynasty castle.  
The two Warlords teleported to the throne room, 'I didn't really like the fact that Melissa and I were interrupted,' Dais thought, 'but Master Talpa wants to see us. I wonder what's troubling him?'  
"You wanted to see us Master?" Anubis asked as he bowed before his lord.  
"Yes," Talpa replied, "look at what is outside our gates."  
Dais and Anubis turned around to look at the monitor. On the top of the building closest to the castle, the two Warlords saw Kento of Hardrock and Ryo of the Wildfire. Below them, Dais and Anubis saw Sarah and Brian.  
Dais' right hand balled into a fist, 'that hypocritical child,' he silently raged, 'why can't Torrent's partner just die?'  
"Anubis," Talpa began, "I want you to take care of Hardrock and Wildfire."  
"Hai," Anubis responded as he teleported away.  
Talpa then turned his attention toward Dais, "does something trouble you?" The Lord of the Nether Realm asked.  
"Master," Dais bowed, "I wish to rid myself of the one they called Brian."  
"How do you intend to do that?" Talpa asked.  
Dais smiled, "all I ask is a nether spirit created out of his negative emotions."  
  
Kento and Ryo leaped from rooftop to rooftop. "Now we can…" Ryo replied, until he saw five "things" situated on top of the nearest office building. "What are those things?"  
"They look like floating bags of wind," Kento smiled.  
"You mean my master's nether spirits," a deep voice laughed.  
Kento and Ryo whirled around to find Anubis standing behind of them, "I guess you like my master's work of art."  
"They're just floating bags of wind," Ryo smirked.  
"Oh really," Anubis smirked, "then why don't we find out," he replied as the spirits began to change shape.  
  
Brian and Sarah reached the castle gates, "It looks like we made it," Brian panted.  
"Yes," an illusive voice laughed, "you made it just in time to die."  
Brian and Sarah looked up. When they did, they found Dais hanging upside down on a spider web. 'I wonder how long he can do that without getting a nosebleed?' Sarah thought.  
"You!" Brian glared, "When I get my hands on you…"  
"Then what?" Dais laughed, "You can't kill me."  
"You want to make a bet on that?" Brian replied.  
"You won't," Dais laughed again. "You can't face me without making the Dynasty stronger."  
Brian glared at his enemy, "Let me show you what I mean," Dais smiled.  
Beside the Warlord, a spirit appeared. The presence of the spectral image sent a cold chill down Brian's spine.  
Dais laughed at Brian's fear, "This is your nether spirit," he explained, "He was fashioned by your negative emotions and hatred towards me."  
Brian growled in anger.  
"But the best part," Dais smirked, "Is that this nether spirit can drain you of your emotions. You will still be alive, but without your emotions, what is there left to live for?"  
"You son-of-a-bitch," Sarah growled, "You kidnap our friends and then threaten to ruin our personal lives."  
"Don't say anything," Brian replied, cutting Sarah off, "he's not going to get away with this."  
"But I already have," Dais laughed as the nether spirit shot out a black beam of light. 


	46. Chapter 44

Chapter 44  
  
The black beam of light hit Brian dead center in the chest. Almost immediately, he felt pain flashing through his body, concentrating on his heart. It wasn't a sharp, quick pain, but a dull, drawn out pain. As Brian gritted his teeth, he heard Dais' mocking laughter. Brian knew that Dais was trying to get him surrender his emotions by playing on his hatred for the Illusion Warlord. However, Brian's hatred for the Warlord made the nether spirit stronger and his pain more intense. 'How can I win, if that bastard plays on my major driving force?' He thought in a haze of pain and agony.  
Sarah dashed toward Brian. She only came within two feet of him because a force field that the spirit had placed around him, shot her back about six feet away. She landed hard on the wall of the nearest building, injuring her back and head. Sarah quickly analyzed the situation, despite the pain and blurry vision. She couldn't reach Dais or the spirit, plus, she was slowly becoming unconscious. 'Damn it,' she thought before she blacked out, 'What can I do?'  
  
Pain swirled through Brian's mind. 'So this is what it feels like to lose yourself to the darkest void of your soul,' he thought.  
"Not so," an ethereal voice replied.  
"What the…" Brian responded as he heard the sound of a staff chiming.  
Brian opened his mental eyes only to find himself standing in a grove of Cherry Blossoms with a white-haired Shinto monk.  
"Brian, Partner to Cye of the Torrent," the monk said in a clear but soothing tone, "I am called the Ancient One. You must endure this if you wish to save your friends."  
"But how?" Brian asked.  
"This nether spirit feeds on your negative emotions," the monk replied in his ethereal voice. "As it feeds, it grows stronger."  
"So," Brian replied, "how does that help me?"  
"What would happen if the spirit absorbed the wrong emotion?" The Ancient One questioned.  
Brian thought for a moment, "The wrong emotion would cause the spirit to shut down or explode."  
"Exactly," the monk smiled. "Now, find the right emotion."  
With that, Brian fell away from the dream world. 


	47. Chapter 45

Chapter 45  
  
'Feed the spirit the wrong emotion,' Brian thought. 'It just might work.'  
Through the black haze of pain, Brian remembered all five writers at their campsite, laughing at Melissa's dirty jokes, and everyone reading their poems. Brian smiled; he had found the right memory and emotion.  
Brian focused his mind on the nether spirit and began to feed the campfire memory and all the positive emotions surrounding the event to the spirit. Just as the Ancient One predicted, the spirit began to bloat. As Brian began to force-feed the positive memory and emotions into the spirit, it exploded. Brian then glared at a stunned Dais, "I want my little sisters back."  
Dais recovered from the shock and laughed, "You may have stopped me, but if your not careful, you might lose Sarah, Wildfire, and Hardrock."  
"What do you mean?" Brian demanded.  
"Why don't you look around and see," Dais smiled as he teleported away.  
  
Brian turned to find Sarah knocked unconscious, 'NO!' he thought, 'if she's dead, I won't care if killing Dais makes the Dynasty stronger.'  
When Brian reached Sarah's side, the girl's eyes fluttered open, "Where's Dais?"  
"Gone," Brian sighed, "but I don't see Kento or Ryo anywhere."  
Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard on top of the office building, "Do you think that was Ryo and Kento?" Sarah asked.  
"Let's find out," Brian replied. 


	48. Chapter 46

Chapter 46  
  
The clashing of Ryo's Katanas and Anubis' Kusari-gama echoed through out the abandoned building. "Give it up Wildfire," Anubis smirked, "you can't win against me."  
"Care to make a bet on that?" Ryo growled.  
"I don't have to," Anubis laughed. "I'm sure you remember what happened to Hardrock."  
Ryo gritted his teeth. Kento, who had always thought with his fists and not his head, had been knocked unconscious almost immediately by Anubis' weapon. If Ryo didn't think of something, everyone was going to end up dead.  
"Do you surrender?" Anubis smirked.  
"Are you an asshole?" A female voice called out.  
Ryo and Anubis turned to find Sarah standing beside Brian. "Get out," Anubis hissed, "this battle doesn't concern you."  
"Yes it does," Sarah smirked.  
"You bring dishonor upon yourself by fighting other people's battles," Anubis growled.  
"When you try to hurt my partner or my friends," Sarah scoffed, "I really don't consider what's honorable and what isn't."  
"Then how could Jazalyn be friends with an honor less bitch?" Anubis sneered.  
"Why you…!" Sarah began, until Brian cut her off.  
"I'm willing to let you walk," Brian began, "just give us Melissa, Melody, and Jazalyn and I promise you'll walk away from here."  
"She is my partner," Anubis growled, "you have no right to take her from me."  
"And you had no right to kidnap her," Brian snapped back.  
Anubis threw his head back and laughed, "Dais was right, you are a hypocritical child. You stand here, ready to protect your partner Cye of the Torrent from any type of danger, and yet you deny me my partner?"  
"You can't keep any of them safe," Brian argued.  
"And what about you?" Anubis sneered, "Can you prevent Torrent from his destiny? What about Wildfire's partner, can you keep her safe?"  
"I'll do what I can," Brian growled.  
"You cannot protect Torrent from duty as a warrior," Anubis scoffed, "but then again, you're only doing your duty as well."  
"What the…?" Brian began, confused.  
"So you don't know?" Anubis smirked.  
"Know what?" Brian asked.  
"Don't you know that your mother fashioned you, the oldest of the partners, to protect the other four partners?" Anubis said calmly.  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Brian replied. "My mum's in England."  
"Not the mother who gave birth to you," Anubis began, "but the mother of your soul."  
"Anubis," Sarah asked in a skeptical tone, "what in the hell have you been smoking?"  
Anubis smiled, "So you don't know either. It appears your parents and loved ones never told you."  
"Told us what?" Sarah snapped.  
"The truth about the black-haired nurse. What was her name again? Ame?" Anubis asked the two partners in a mocking voice.  
"WHAT!" Sarah and Brian yelled in complete shock. How did he know about Ame?  
"I guess you parents didn't want you to…" Anubis began, until a telepathic summons poured into his head. 'Return to me Anubis,' Talpa's dark voice whispered in Anubis' mind.  
'Yes sire,' Anubis mentally responded.  
Before the Warlord of Cruelty returned to the Dynasty Castle, he looked at Sarah and Brian. Ryo thought he heard Anubis whisper "son and daughter of the sun." 


	49. Chapter 47

Chapter 47  
  
"BLAST IT!" Talpa's voice boomed through out the castle, "THAT BLASTED MONK HAS PREVENTED ME FROM CALLING MORE NETHER SPIRITS! MY ENERGRY HAS BEEN DRAINED TO AN EXTENT THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS!"  
Anubis and Dais cringed; their master was not in a good mood. "Master," Anubis began in a shaky tone, "we were able to halt Wildfire and Hardrock."  
"Then it appears this day has not been a total failure," Talpa mused.  
"Hai," Dais and Anubis responded as they teleported away from the throne room.  
  
When Dais got back to his room, he found Melissa curled up on his bed sleeping. Dais smiled and began to stroke his partner's hair. Melissa began to smile as Dais gently ran his hand through her sun colored locks. But soon, the warm simile was replaced by a troubled look, and Melissa began to toss and turn. Dais tried to wake Melissa up, only to hear his hikari yell, "MOM, DAD, BECKY, RACHEL, TRAVIS, WILLY!"  
The Warlord of Illusion looked puzzled, who were Becky, Rachel, Travis, and Willy?  
"Melissa," Dais soothed, "wake up."  
Melissa opened her eyes and glared at Dais. She immediately put on her glasses, pushed Dais away from her, and bolted for the door. Dais was completely puzzled, but he let Melissa leave. He would have to ask Midori who Becky, Rachel, Willy, and Travis were.  
  
NOTES:  
1. The four names above are Melissa's brothers and sisters. 


	50. Chapter 48

Chapter 48  
  
Minutes turned to hours, hours into days, and days into weeks, until two weeks had passed since the first attempt by the nether spirits had failed. Everyday, the Warlords spent time with their partners, and practiced. Anubis, who always made good on his promises, began to teach Jazalyn how to use a Katana. The Warlord of Cruelty was impressed; Jazalyn had quickly acquired the discipline and skill to wield a sword and finally, after a small, private initiation ceremony, his partner had become a full warrior. 'Now she is a true Samurai,' Anubis smiled.  
At the ceremony, Anubis gave Jazalyn a new Katana, signifying that she was now a warrior. The blade was made out of a lightweight, sharp metal, while the black handle was easy to grasp. The leader of the Warlords was proud of his partner's skills, but that wasn't enough to distract him from the problem that was eating him up inside: his partner's nightmares.  
Anubis closed his eyes as he felt his heart tie itself into a knot. He knew that his partner was having nightmares, but when he tried to confront Jazalyn about them, she refused to give him an answer. The fact that she couldn't trust him enough to tell him her nightmares really hurt him.  
There were more attempts by the Ronins to retrieve the three girls, but they had ended in failure. However, these wins were not flawless victories. Many times, Dais had come back from a fight with wind knocked out of him or kicked in the lower region. Even Anubis wasn't immune to the punishment the two remaining partners could dish out. Several times he had come back to the castle after being punched in the throat by that bitch Sarah, or had been stabbed by that annoyance Brian. The leader of the Warlords sighed; he would take care of those two "problems" in his own good time.  
Walking down the one of the many castle hallways, the Warlord of Cruelty bumped into the Warlord of Venom and the Warlord of Illusion. "Dais, Sekhmet, what are you two doing here?"  
"We need to talk," Dais began.  
"Okay," Anubis replied, a little worried.  
"Not here," Dais gestured, "in the library."  
"Fine," Anubis replied.  
  
When Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet got to the library, the Warlord of Illusion motioned for the remaining two Warlords to sit down. Dais lost no time in getting to the point, "I think we may have to let our partners go."  
"WHAT!" Sekhmet yelled.  
"It's the nightmares, isn't it?" Anubis replied, "They fear that their loved ones will be harmed if they stay here."  
"Hai," Dais said sadly, "Melissa's afraid for her father, her mother, and her four siblings"  
Sekhmet lowered his eyes, "I don't want Melody to go, but these nightmares… when I see her having them… it tears me up inside."  
"Is there another reason?" Anubis asked the Illusion Warlord.  
Dais nodded, "Cale found out about the Partnership. He's threatening to tell everything he knows to Talpa."  
Sekhmet hissed, "When I get my hands on him…"  
"Then we have to give them back," Anubis swallowed. "It's the only way they'll be safe."  
"NO!" Dais yelled, "I WILL NOT LET THAT HYPOCRITICAL CHILD HAVE THE FINAL VICTORY!"  
Anubis' eyes narrowed, "I don't like Torrent's partner either, but it's come to the point where we're going to have to look past our pride and think about what's best for our partners. And if that means we have to give them back to those Ronin brats, then we have to do it."  
"How can you be so unattached to your partner?" Sekhmet hissed angrily.  
"If you think that I want to willingly give up my partner," Anubis began, "then you are sorely mistaken. But if we keep them here, then they'll go through more pain and suffering. We have to do the right thing, and if that means letting them go, then that's what we have to do."  
"I can't" Sekhmet replied, "For the first time in my life, I've found someone who will accept the real me. You just can't decide to take her away from me."  
"That may be true," Anubis sighed, "but would you rather see Melody in pain? I know the nightmares she keeps having frighten her, but keeping her here will only make the problem worse." Then Anubis looked at the other two Warlords, "if we truly care about them, then we may have to let them go."  
"No!" Sekhmet shouted, "I will not let her go! She'll choose to confide her fears and dreams to her brother Chase. And when she does, she'll forget all about me! I can't give her up!"  
Anubis looked at Sekhmet straight in the eye, "you may not have a choice."  
  
Anubis walked into his room only to find Jazalyn asleep in her bed; clutching the Katana he had given her. 'I hate this so much,' Anubis thought as he ran his hands through her hair, 'but I only want to do what's best for you.'  
  
NOTES:  
1. The ceremony that Jazalyn went though is based on the ceremony all Samurai boys went thorough at age 15. At that ceremony, boys were given their adult name. Jazalyn did not recieve a new name. 


	51. Chapter 49

Chapter 49  
  
Sekhmet walked down the hallway towards his room, "I can't believe that Anubis wants us to give up our partners," he growled.  
A voice in the shadows began to snicker.  
Sekhmet whirled around to see the Warlord of Corruption blending in with his element, "she's only going to make you weak, it's best if you…" Cale stopped in mid-sentence because Sekhmet's hands had wrapped around the Blue-haired Warlord's throat.  
The Warlord of Venom began to violently throttle and shake his brother-in-arms. "You really are the son of a whore," Sekhmet hissed.  
Cale smirked, "They are children of the Sun Goddess. You are committing treason by keeping them here and not killing them."  
"I don't care if they are children of the Sun Goddess," the Venom Warlord glared as he slammed Cale into the wall, "But I can promise you one thing, if you tell Talpa the truth about Melody, I swear I will kill you and serve your remains to Bastik for his main course."  
Cale smiled as he broke away from Sekhmet's death grip. As he walked down the hall, the Warlord of Venom thought he heard Cale laugh, "watch me." 


	52. Chapter 50

Chapter 50  
  
Anubis and Dais were walking down the hall to talk to one of the cooks about dinner, when Sekhmet barged right into them. "You were right," Sekhmet hissed, "Cale is planning to tell Talpa."  
"Blast it!" Dais growled, "Now we have no choice but to give up our partners!"  
"Now who could've seen that coming?" Anubis replied.  
Dais and Sekhmet looked at their leader, since when did Anubis become sarcastic?  
The Warlord of Cruelty looked at his brothers-in-arms, "Dais is right, now we don't have a choice."  
"Fine," Sekhmet finished, admitting defeat, "We'll wait till they're asleep."  
  
At the campsite, everyone was getting frustrated. Talpa had been halted temporarily, but Brian, Sarah, Mia, and the four Ronins still could not get into the castle. What made things even worse was that no one could reach Rowen. "I hate this," Kento raged, "we're sitting here on our butts, we can't save Rowen, and we can't get Jazalyn, Melissa, and Melody out of the Dynasty."  
Brian glared daggers at the Warrior of Earth, "I'm open to ideas."  
"Alright, enough," Mia snapped, "it's late, everyone's under a lot of stress, and we're all getting tired of not making it inside the castle."  
"Any ideas?" Sarah asked.  
"As of right now," Mia began, "no. But everyone's tired and cranky. So I suggest that all of us get some sleep. We'll need the strength if we're going to try to rescue Jazalyn, Melody, and Melissa."  
"Fine," Kento grumbled. 


	53. Chapter 51

Chapter 51  
  
As the moon reached its highest peak, everyone was sound asleep, except for Sarah and Brian. "We've tried every possible way to get into the castle," Sarah whispered, "and we've failed. Do you think we should try again tonight?"  
"I don't know." Brian whispered back, "we need to plan for another assault, but I'm almost out of ideas. I hope we can think of something soon."  
Sarah looked up at the sky. "I'm kind of worried about what Anubis said two weeks ago."  
"I wouldn't be surprised if Anubis found out something about us," Brian sighed. "He may be a Warlord, but he's not stupid."  
"Your right," Sarah said in a sarcastic remark, "he's not stupid. He's an asshole."  
"I really wish you wouldn't…" Brian began, until both partners saw black lightning streaking across the sky. "They're here." Sarah whispered.  
"Who's here?" Cye mumbled, only to find three bolts of black lightning hit the ground.  
Cye yelled for everyone to wake up. When they did, the lightning turned into three armored forms. Kento and Sage took a fighting stance, while Ryo and Cye pushed Mia and their partners behind them. Everyone was shocked to see Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet in front of them, with their partners sleeping in their arms. "What do you want?" Sarah snapped.  
Anubis gently placed Jazalyn on the ground and placed a Katana next to her sleeping body. Sekhmet then placed Melody on the ground, and finally, Dais placed Melissa on the ground. When the Spider Armored Warlord stepped away from his partner, he glared daggers at Brian. "You put Melissa in danger," the Warlord of Illusion threatened, "I swear I will kill you myself."  
"What the…?" Brian began. Only to watch the three Dark Warlords teleport away, leaving without their partners.  
  
Cale was going over some documents when he heard a knock at his door. "I'm coming!" he yelled.  
When the Demon of Darkness opened the door, Dais and Sekhmet entered the room. "Is there something you…?" Cale asked, before he was greeted by a hard slap across his face from Dais. The Warlord of Corruption was then thrown against the wall by Sekhmet, who pushed a poison-tipped dagger at his comrade's throat. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your life," the Venom Warlord hissed.  
Cale smirked, "Because you're too weak to kill me."  
Cale was then greeted with another hard slap across his face, "You really are the son of a whore," the Sekhmet began, "You take the most important thing away from me, all because you can't keep your blasted mouth shut."  
"They're traitors," Cale replied, "haven't you ever read the prophecy?"  
"What prophecy?" Dais asked.  
"Out of nine shall come five, and hope and light shall reign from the sun," Anubis replied, startling the three remaining Warlords.  
"So you know," Cale smirked.  
Anubis smiled, "Sekhmet, Dais, could you give me and Cale some privacy?"  
"Sure," the Warriors of Summer and Autumn replied. 


	54. Chapter 52

Chapter 52  
  
When Anubis and Cale were alone, the Warlord of Cruelty gave Cale a big smile, "You seem to have a problem with keeping your mouth shut."  
"I'm only looking out for your well-being," Cale replied.  
"Give me one reason why I should believe that you'll tell Talpa about the Partnership?" Anubis smirked.  
"Because I can," Cale replied.  
"Just like I can tell Talpa about the Masayori incident," Anubis grinned.  
Cale's yes went wide, "You wouldn't?"  
"That all depends," Anubis smiled. "If you don't want me to tell Talpa about the Masayori incident, then you won't tell Talpa about the Partnership."  
"I think you're bluffing," Cale bit out.  
"Only one way to find out," Anubis said flatly, "your call."  
Cale glared daggers at his leader; if Anubis wasn't bluffing, and he did tell Talpa about the Masayori incident, his master would have him executed for disobeying orders plus consorting and dealing with a traitor. No, Cale could not risk it.  
"Fine," Cale sighed, "I'll keep my mouth shut."  
"Good," Anubis smiled as he left Cale's Room, "I knew you'd see it my way."  
  
When Anubis reached the hallway, Dais and Sekhmet ran over to him. "Were you able to convince Cale to keep his mouth shut?" Dais asked.  
"Hai," Anubis replied.  
"What did you say to him?" Sekhmet smirked.  
"Let's just say, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Anubis grinned.  
Dais and Sekhmet smiled.  
  
NOTES:  
1. According to Dynasty History, in the mortal year 1864, a vassel named Masayori Takano lead an uprising against Talpa. Cale was dispached to kill the upstart and crush his supporters. There was a 3 month seige in the Eastern Region until Masayori invited to Cale to talk about peace. An underhand deal was made where Cale would spare the upstart and in return, the Warlord of Coruption would recieve the Eastern Region as a fief. This underhand deal was against Talpa's orders.   
2. So in layman's terms, Anubis is blackmailing Cale so he won't talk about the Partnership. I know it would normally be considered low for the Warlord of Cruelty, but Anubis is only trying to protect Jazalyn and the other partners from getting hurt. 


	55. Chapter 53

Chapter 53  
  
The first thing Jazalyn sensed when she drifted out of deep sleep was the smell of smoke. "Is something…?" Jazalyn mumbled, only to open her eyes and find Brian kneeling beside her. "You okay?" Brian asked.  
"Yes," Jazalyn mumbled, still half asleep, before Brian hugged her as hard as he could. "Ow, ow, ow, Brian you're squeezing me too tight!" Jazalyn grimaced.  
"Sarah and I thought we'd never see you three again," Brian sobbed.  
Jazalyn smiled as she saw tears running down the oldest partner's face, "It's okay," she soothed, "I'm here, so don't worry."  
"We're glad all three of you are here," Sarah smiled. "Melody and Melissa woke up a few minutes before you did."  
"Are they okay?" Jazalyn inquired.  
"Yep," Sarah nodded.  
Sage walked over to where Jazalyn's Katana lay, "How did you get this?" He asked, picking up the sword.  
Jazalyn took the Katana from Sage, "Anubis was teaching me how to fight and use a sword." She explained.  
"WHAT!!!" Sarah yelled.  
"Don't overreact," Brian glared, "this may help us in the future."  
"But she's learned how to use a dangerous weapon from an armored nutcase," Sarah replied.  
Jazalyn removed her sword out from its sheath and pointed it at Sarah, "Don't ever talk about Anubis like that," she growled. "He has a sense of honor and taught me how to be a warrior. Ever since he was fifteen, he's always wanted to teach someone. So I don't want to hear anything bad about him."  
"But he's a Warlord!" Sarah argued.  
"YOU DIDN'T LIVE WITH HIM FOR TWO WEEKS," Jazalyn yelled, "SO DON'T ASSUME YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM. ANUBIS MADE THE CHOICE TO SET ME FREE, AND I KNOW IT'S KILLING HIM INSIDE. SO I DON'T WANT HEAR YOU START RUNNING OFF AT THE MOUTH!"  
Sarah shut up.  
Jazalyn lowered her eyes and placed her sword blade back into its sheath. "I'm sorry I yelled you, but Dais, Anubis, and Sekhmet have human feelings and thoughts. They willingly gave us up so we could be safe."  
"And it's killing them inside," Melody replied, startling everyone.  
"Melody's right," Melissa stated, standing next to the previous speaker, "they did this for us. And I know they're having regrets."  
"They thought it was for the best," Jazalyn replied sadly. "In a way, I'm glad they gave us back, but on the other hand, I can't stand the thought of them in emotional pain."  
  
On a tree standing two feet away from the campsite, a snake curled around one of the lowest branches, its eyes glowing an Emerald green color. Whatever the snake saw, the Warlord of Venom saw through his viewing orb. He hated Brian and Sarah for the fact that those two could be in contact with Melody, something he had reluctantly given up. 'Well, Cale won't be talking anytime soon,' the green-haired Warlord thought, 'but I will have my revenge. If Torrent and Wildfire's partners can be with their armor bearers, then so should I. But since I cannot kill Torrent's partner and Wildfire's whore, I'll just have to kill Cye of the Torrent and Ryo of the Wildfire instead.' 


	56. Chapter 54

Chapter 54  
  
Anubis couldn't sleep. It was only midnight and for the first time in over 400 years, he felt lonely. 'Why did I do that?' He thought angrily, 'I gave up my only student and partner all because Cale couldn't keep his blasted mouth shut!'  
Getting up from his bed, Anubis called his sub armor and walked to the kitchen for some cold steamed rice, his favorite comfort food. When the Warlord of Cruelty reached his destination, he saw Dais sitting at the table, drinking some tea. "Couldn't sleep?" The Warlord of Illusion asked.  
Anubis nodded.  
Dais looked down at his tea, "it's only been four hours since we let them go, and I really wish I could make sure Melissa's okay."  
"Well," Anubis sighed, "we can't tell Talpa or do anything without Cale opening his big mouth."  
Dais smashed his china teacup onto the table, shattering it into a million pieces. "I hate this!" the older man yelled, "I can't go near her, I can't protect her, and I can't be there for her!"  
"And I can't be near Jazalyn," Anubis sighed, taking a seat next to his brother-in-arms, "but unless we can come up with a system to watch over them and protect them, there's nothing we can do."  
Dais smiled, "Good idea, I think I'll be able to create a system where we can keep an eye out on our partners with out that Hypocritical Child and Wildfire's bitch from ever noticing."  
Anubis smiled, "So, let's hear what you have in mind."  
  
Ryo noticed everyone was asleep, 'Good,' he thought, 'now I can try again.'  
A hand reached out and stopped Ryo in his tracks, "Going for round two?" Kento asked.  
"Yes," Ryo whispered, "but don't tell anyone else."  
"Fine," Kento smiled, "let's go." 


	57. Chapter 55

Chapter 55  
  
Ryo and Kento ran down the abandoned streets of Downtown Tokyo. As they made their way towards the large castle gate, the two Ronins failed to hide their presence from their enemies.  
  
As the four Dark Warlords stood before their master, about ready to plan another attack, Anubis and Sekhmet felt the presence of two people. 'What are Hardrock and Wildfire doing out here alone?' Anubis wondered.  
Sekhmet smirked, "Master, it appears that Wildfire and Hardrock have decided to grace us with their presence."  
The amorphous head began to laugh. "Good," Talpa began, "the Nether Spirits are ready to attack again. We can, as the mortals say, "kill two birds with one stone"."  
"Master," Cale supplicated, "let me kill the upstarts."  
"No master," Dais swiftly cut in, "I will bring you victory if you let me take care of those two Ronin Warriors."  
"No," Talpa replied, "I will send Anubis to deal with them."  
Anubis smiled as Cale glared daggers at his leader, "I will not fail you," Anubis bowed, giving Cale the, 'You say anything and I will tell Talpa about the Masayori incident,' look.  
  
Sarah shot up from her sleeping bag. Something was wrong, and she knew it. As Wildfire's partner looked over at the person sleeping next to her, she began to gently shake Jazalyn. "Something isn't right," Sarah whispered.  
Jazalyn rubbed her eyes and looked around, "You're right, Kento and Ryo aren't here."  
"WHAT!" Sarah yelled.  
"Sarah," Melody mumbled, "you're too loud. Could you please lower your Goddamn voice?"  
"No, I won't." Sarah replied, "I won't lower my voice until I find out why Kento and Ryo have left the campsite."   
"WHAT!" Melody yelled as she shot up from her sleeping bag.  
"They've probably gone into the city to get more information," Jazalyn concluded.  
"Get everyone up," Sarah began, "this is going to be a long day." 


	58. Chapter 56

Chapter 56  
  
As Mia's jeep drove towards Tokyo, Sarah wore a very pissed off expression, 'When I get my hands on Ryo, I'm going to give him the biggest lecture of his life.'  
As the jeep continued to drive, Jazalyn noticed how dark the clouds were, 'I can't believe that the four Seasons live in such a dark, desolate place. They need to be outside, in their elements, and not in some dark castle.'  
"These dark clouds give me the creeps," Melissa whispered.  
"I know what you mean," Melody agreed.  
"It's all part of the "dark and gloomy" atmosphere," Sarah retorted.  
"I know that," Jazalyn snapped, "but these clouds don't even feel like real clouds."  
"What do you mean?" Melody asked.  
"It's almost like…" Jazalyn began, "like these clouds are alive. Like they have magic in them."  
"Magic or not," Cye began, "we need to find Ryo and Kento before anything bad happens."  
  
Kento and Ryo leapt from building to building. "You do realize," Kento began, "that if Sarah ever finds out about this, you're never going to hear the end of it from her."  
"If we can get to Rowen," Ryo smiled, "then Sarah's lecture is meaningless."  
"You really should listen to your partner more often Wildfire," a deep voice laughed.  
Ryo and Kento looked up to see Anubis blocking them from the roof of the building. "It isn't wise to ignore your partner's advice."  
"Like you would know," Kento retorted.  
Anubis' lips curled into a snarl, "You don't have a partner Hardrock, so don't assume that you have the right to tell me what I should or should not believe."  
"Get to the point!" Ryo yelled.  
"Look up," Anubis laughed as the Nether Spirits began to change shape.  
  
As the jeep entered the city proper, Brian noticed dark shadows. "Mia! Stop the jeep."  
"Why?" Mia asked.  
"Because," Jazalyn began, "we just drove right into a trap." 


	59. Chapter 57

Chapter 57  
  
Dynasty Soldiers surrounded the jeep on all four sides. "Shit," Melody cursed.  
"Any ideas?" Melissa asked.  
"Sage and I will take care of these tin cans," Cye promised.  
"Wait!" Jazalyn interrupted, "these soldiers aren't going to attack us."  
"What makes you say that?" Mia asked.  
"Anubis taught me that if an attack doesn't happen within the first five seconds, then it's not an offensive strategy," Jazalyn began.  
"Then why do they have their weapons withdrawn?" Brian asked.  
"This is an attempt to hold us here," Jazalyn responded.  
"WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Sarah yelled.  
"Like I said," Cye smiled, "Sage and I will take care of these tin cans."  
"Well," Melissa began, "I don't think…AAAAHHHHHH!"  
"Melissa!" Sarah yelled as she moved from the front of the jeep to the last seat in the back of the vehicle, "What's wrong?"  
"My head," Melissa cringed, "it hurts."  
"Let me see…" Jazalyn began, until she saw Melissa's hair blowing around her face. It looked as if her hair had been pulled free from its ponytail and was being toyed with by the wind.  
"What the…?" Melody began, noticing Melissa being engulfed by a green light.  
Melissa's eyes flashed as she began to chant, "Chu, Tei, Ko, Nin!"  
"What the…?" Cye began.  
"Chu, Tei, Ko, Nin!" Melissa repeated.  
The soldiers began to back away from the jeep, "Chu, Tei, Ko, Nin!" Melissa yelled.  
Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard, and almost immediately, the sky began to change colors. When the sky became Dark Green, the soldiers spontaneously burst apart. When all the Dynasty soldiers were nothing more than empty suits of armor, Melissa slumped back onto the seat, exhausted.  
"What…was that all about?" Melody shivered.  
Jazalyn swallowed hard, "she's the High Priestess."  
  
NOTES:  
1. Chu, Tei, Ko, and Nin are the virtues of the four Warlords. They are: Chu-Loyalty, Nin-Serenity, Ko-Piety, Tei-Obedience 


	60. Chapter 58

Chapter 58  
  
"What exactly do you mean by "High Priestess?" " Melody asked skeptically.  
"I found a book in the Dynasty Library about the Partnership," Jazalyn replied, "It told me some pretty incredible stuff."  
"So what exactly did it say about the High Priestess?" Sarah questioned.  
"The book said that the High Priestess is the only partner that can release souls from Talpa's service," Jazalyn replied, pulling the information out of her memory.  
"And in layman's terms?" Melody sighed.  
"Melissa is the only one who can release the souls that make up Talpa's army. Once they have been released, Talpa can never use those souls again."  
"That's a good thing?" Sarah agreed.  
"No, it's not." Jazalyn countered, "The High Priestess is considered the biggest threat to the Nether Realm. If the High Priestess were destroyed, then there would be no limit to how many spirits Talpa can make from the souls of the dead and negative emotions."  
"That's just bloody great!" Brain raged. "Melissa's partner is a Dynasty Warlord, and she's considered their biggest threat!"  
"I don't how Dais is going to be able to talk his way out of this one," Sarah agreed.  
"But what was she chanting?" Sage asked.  
"Chu, Tei, Ko, Nin are the Kanji for the Warlords," Jazalyn explained.  
"Hey guys," Melissa mumbled, startling Sage, Cye, and the other four partners, "What's that big ball of yarn doing in the sky?"  
"What ball of…?" Mia asked, before she gasped.  
"A Nether Spirit bomb," Jazalyn whispered in fear.  
"And how do you know all of this?" Cye asked in an amazed tone of voice.  
"Anubis and I are bookworms," Jazalyn blushed, turning bright red, "we both read a lot of books together in the Dynasty Library."  
Melody glared at her best friend, "What have I told you about reading too much?"  
"Be thankful I know this stuff," Jazalyn shot back.  
"So then why did the Nether Spirit bomb explode?" Sarah asked.  
Sage, Cye, Mia, and all five partners looked up the see the bomb split into several pieces. "Someone interfered," Melissa whispered.  
"Who?" Melody shuddered.  
"The Warrior-Monk," Melissa slurred, before she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Anubis' Kusari-gama clashed with Ryo's Katanas. "You're not much of a challenge, are you Wildfire?" Anubis sneered.  
"I'll show you who's a challenge," Ryo growled.  
"You really are weak, especially without your partner, and Hardrock occupied. Anubis laughed.  
"Kento left to get reinforcements," Ryo smiled.  
"To bad you won't live to see your little whore," Anubis smirked.  
"Leave Sarah and the others out of this," Ryo bit out.  
"Who said I was going to hurt her or Torrent's partner," Anubis grinned, "You and Torrent are the ones I want to destroy."  
"Blindly following orders?" Ryo sneered.  
Anubis swung his weapon and hit Ryo in the gut. "For two weeks I understood what it was like to care about someone. Then came the nightmares that forced me to let Jazalyn go. You know nothing about loneliness, or what it's like to give up the one you love."  
Ryo grimaced at the Warlord of Cruelty's words.  
"You always had your partner," Anubis growled, "You always had someone to be there for you. Someone who you could laugh with, help you through pain and suffering, and someone who would make you feel alive. I had to take that happiness by force, risk the anger and fear from my own partner, and in the end, giving all that up at the price of mental anguish. But since I cannot kill your little whore and Torrent's partner, I will make them suffer. I will make them suffer the loneliness and pain that I have felt."  
"You gave up Jazalyn of your own free will," Ryo began.  
"And I have suffered because of it!" Anubis yelled. "Now your little whore and Torrent's partner will know the same pain and loneliness I have felt." 


	61. Chapter 59

Chapter 59  
  
As Anubis swung his weapon towards Ryo, the power surge from the Nether Spirit bomb began to grow. 'If I can get past Anubis, then maybe I can ride one of those fireballs.'  
Ryo jumped from the ground and over Anubis' head, Ryo landed on the fireball and began to sink in. When Anubis turned to follow Wildfire, he did not see the energy surge through his body and armor.  
  
Sage, Cye, Mia, and the five partners ran down one of the abandoned streets. Not paying attention, Sarah almost ran into Kento. Wildfire's partner lost no time in lecturing the lone Ronin, "KENTO, YOU BLITHERING IDIOT, WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD'S GREEN EARTH WERE YOU AND RYO THINKING?"  
"We were going to get Rowen," Kento began, not bothered with Sarah's yelling, "but Anubis showed up. Ryo told me to get you guys."  
"Now we have to go after him too," Melody sighed, "I don't know which is worse: an impulsive Ronin partner or a Warlord partner?"  
"I'd really like to answer that question," Jazalyn replied, "but it appears that another big, ugly yarn ball has been launched into the sky."  
"BLOODY HELL!" Brian yelled.  
"What the…?" Melissa replied, as she looked skywards.  
An evil laughter was heard cutting through the darkened sky. Soon the air smelled of death and decay as a large amorphous head appeared in front of everyone. "Welcome, my little pests. I am Talpa, Ruler of the Nether Realm. I see you have come to join your friend Ryo of the Wildfire."  
"You wish," Sarah glared.  
"Do not be so cocky," the head laughed, "this little resistance will only be a minor set back in my attempt to rule your world."  
"Minor set back my ass," Melody sneered, "You don't even have a body to back up all your cheap talk."  
"Melody," Jazalyn hissed, "don't you remember what we learned in mythology class?"  
"About what?" Melody furrowed her eyebrows.  
"Talpa lost his mortal body, but he didn't lose his powers." Jazalyn explained.  
"It appears that at least one of you has…" Talpa began, until he saw Jazalyn's necklace.  
When Jazalyn followed Talpa's glaring eyes, she knew. She knew Talpa knew. "So," Talpa chuckled, "even Heaven is set against me. It does not matter, I do not need Heaven's consent or their approval to crush your pathetic world."  
"What does that mean?" Sarah whispered.  
Jazalyn swallowed hard, "Talpa knows about the Partnership." 


	62. Chapter 60

Chapter 60  
  
"WHAT!" Sarah, Melody, Melissa, and Brian all yelled in unison.  
"Talpa…knows…about…the…Partnership," Jazalyn slowly repeated.  
The amorphous floating head laughed, "It appears that at least one of you can engage your brain well enough to take in your surroundings."  
Jazalyn furrowed her eyebrows, "we're not stupid."  
"No," the head laughed, "but you eight are very foolish."  
"What does that mean?" Kento snapped.  
"Observe," Talpa replied as a picture was formed in the sky.  
In the picture, Ryo was fighting against the energy surge that was located in and around his prison, "Ryo of the Wildfire is trapped inside this fire ball," Talpa laughed, "The negative energy is taking away his energy and power even as we speak. Once my work of art hits Rowen of the Strata, those two pests will die."  
"You sick son-of-a-bitch," Sarah growled.  
"Don't worry," the head laughed, "I haven't forgotten the remaining Ronin Warriors, Torrent, and Wildfire's partners."  
"What do you mean Torrent and Wildfire's partners?" Cye questioned as he raised his Yari.  
"My Warlords took a liking to their partners," Talpa laughed, "Once you five are out of the way, I will give my Warlords their rightful partners. When I do that, then the Mortal's World will fall."  
"You wish," Brian growled.  
"Let me show you," Talpa smiled as dark clouds moved slowly across the crowded the street. The clouds then sent down streams of black lightning that turned into soldiers. "Fight bravely against my soldiers," Talpa's maniacal voice laughed, "and then die."  
Jazalyn withdrew her Katana as the Kento, Sage, and Cye positioned themselves in their battle stances. 'Now it's time to put my skills to the test,' Jazalyn thought, 'and I hope I pass with flying colors.' 


	63. Chapter 61

Chapter 61  
  
"Master Talpa," a harsh voice called out. "Master Talpa."  
The lord of the Nether Realm teleported back to his throne room, "Does something trouble you Anubis?"  
"Master," Anubis supplicated, "I wish to fight Ryo of the Wildfire in open combat."  
"You do not need to," Talpa replied, "Wildfire and Strata will be destroyed by the fire ball."  
"No!" Anubis yelled, "He took so much from me. I must kill him myself!"  
"I'm assuming that you're talking about your partner?" Talpa questioned.  
Anubis almost had a heart attack. When Talpa saw his Warlord of Cruelty's face, the floating head chuckled. "Do not think I don't know about the Partnership. I can promise you one thing: when Wildfire and the other four armors are defeated, you will have your partner all to yourself."  
"Wildfire took her from me," Anubis began in a more frantic tone of voice, "I must kill him with my own bare hands."  
"Are you questioning my decision?" Talpa asked in a threatening manner.  
"No master," Anubis began, "But letting the fireball destroy Ryo of the Wildfire does not fulfill the required law of vengeance."  
"ENOUGH!" Talpa yelled, "I WILL NOT PERMIT YOU TO SECOND GUESS ME!"  
"But master…" Anubis began, before two bolts of red lightning shot out of the floating head's eyes.  
"YOU WILL NOY DEFY ME AGAIN," Talpa's voice boomed, "NOW LEAVE MY SIGHT."  
Anubis protested, but was spirited away.  
  
The battle was fierce, but somehow, Jazalyn managed to hold her own. 'Why aren't more soldiers attacking me?' She thought, 'And why haven't reinforcements showed up?'  
Jazalyn was snapped out of these thoughts when she heard Sarah scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
NOTES:  
1. In Anubis' time, to take revenge against a wrong was considered honorable. There was a formal process in an act of revenge. The person must present his or her case to the Daimyo and after the Daimyo studied the case, then he would give the person a letter authorizing the death of the offending party. During the Meiji Restoration in 1873, the tradition of revenge died out. 


	64. Chapter 62

Chapter 62  
  
Everyone jerked his or her head towards the sky. "The…the…fireball," Sarah sobbed, "it…it…exploded."  
"Damn it damn it damn it all to hell…" Melody kept repeating over and over like a mantra.  
"Do you think Ryo's dead?" Melissa whispered.  
Jazalyn shook her head, "I highly doubt it; Ryo doesn't go down that easily."  
"But even if didn't die," Brian began, "his armor's not designed to handle the pressure of space. How would he survive?"  
"Good question," Jazalyn mumbled, "unfortunately, I don't have that answer."  
"If Ryo and Rowen are dead, then we have no choice but to storm the castle," Kento finished.  
"How can you say that?" Mia shrieked, "we don't even know if Ryo and Rowen are dead or not."  
"But can we risk it?" Sage responded.  
Sarah wasn't paying attention to the conversation. She had just seen the fireball explode with her partner inside. 'If he's dead,' Sarah thought as she balled her hands into a fist, 'then Talpa has just signed his death warrant.'  
What Sarah didn't see was a red and dark blue streak of light moving across the sky. 


	65. Chapter 63

Chapter 63  
  
Sarah turned her eyes toward a dark blue and red blur shooting across the sky when it came within her field of view, "What the…" Sarah began as she started to glow a bright red color.  
"Justice," Kento whispered as his virtue glowed on his forehead.  
"Wisdom," Sage breathed.  
"Trust," Cye gasped. When he turned to face his partner, Brain glowed the same light blue color as his armor.  
"They made it," Mia smiled when she saw everyone's virtue appear on their foreheads, "Ryo and Rowen are alive."  
Sage looked around. As his virtue glowed, he noticed that a yellow light had engulfed Jazalyn. 'Why is she glowing?' Sage wondered.  
  
In the Dynasty castle, Anubis was curled up on his bed as something glowed on his forehead. 'What is this feeling? Why does the word loyalty keep running through my head? I sense all ten of them, including my partner. Why is she with them? Why isn't she with me? I want her back; I want her back at all costs. Now it's payback time. I will kill you with my own hands Wildfire, I promise.'  
Anubis got off his bed and looked at one of the many candles that illuminated his room. As the shadows moved from one side of the room to another, Anubis called his armor. After he was finished, he teleported away from the castle. About a few minutes later, Talpa appeared. "So, Anubis is awaking to a power other than evil. He must be watched, closely." 


	66. Chapter 64

Chapter 64  
  
Everyone raced for the jeep, "If we can follow that streak of light," Sarah gasped, "we can get Ryo and Rowen."  
"And then you'll chew him out," Melody snickered.  
"NOW IS NOT THE TIME!" Jazalyn yelled.  
As everyone jumped into the jeep, Mia started the ignition and followed the Red and Dark Blue light.  
As the jeep followed Ryo and Rowen, their sphere landed. Sarah squeezed the handle of the door, 'Ryo, when I get my hands on you, you're in deep shit.' "Can't this thing go any faster?" She bit out angrily.  
"No," Mia replied.  
"Then make it go faster." Sarah growled.  
"Are you going to drive?" Brian snapped.  
"No," Sarah replied, startled.  
"Then don't say anything," Jazalyn replied in a curt manner.  
As the jeep got closer to the landing sight, Jazalyn thought she heard, "Arrow Shock Wave!"  
'What's going on?' Jazalyn thought, 'the only reason Rowen would use his sure-kill would be to...OH SHIT!'  
"Mia!" Jazalyn yelled, "Stop the jeep!"  
"Why?" Melody asked.  
"Ryo and Rowen are in trouble," Jazalyn began, "I heard Rowen use his sure-kill."  
The jeep came to a screeching halt, "Let's go," Mia replied  
As everyone barreled out of the jeep, Sage, Cye, and Kento called their armors. As they ran closer towards the landing sight, Jazalyn smelled the ground, 'Did Rowen's sure-kill hit the soil?'  
"Rowen!" Sage yelled.  
"Rowen!" Brian yelled, "You okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Rowen yelled back.  
As everyone came to the edge of the battlefield, Rowen was supporting Ryo on his shoulders. "We're okay."  
"I'm glad," Sarah smiled, "I thought you both were going to die."  
"It's okay." Ryo grinned, "I don't die easily."  
Rowen smiled, but when he turned towards Jazalyn, he looked at her, 'Why did Anubis think I would help Ryo take Jazalyn away from him?' 


	67. Chapter 65

Chapter 65  
  
The drive back to the city was almost quiet. Rowen ended up taking a seat next to Jazalyn as he tried to ignore Sarah chewing out her partner. "RYO, WHAT IN THE NINE LEVELS OF HELL WERE YOU THINKING? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU NOT TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT THEY MEAN IT. I ALMOST HAD A FUCKING HEART ATTACK TRYING TO SEE IF YOU WERE OKAY!"  
"Does this happen all the time?" Rowen questioned.  
"I don't know," Jazalyn smiled, "I lost track a long time ago."  
As the drive continued, Rowen fell asleep. Jazalyn allowed Rowen to use her right shoulder as a pillow. About a few minutes later, Rowen woke up only to find Jazalyn leaning against the window, fast asleep. Rowen leaned over and gently shook Jazalyn on her left shoulder, waking her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
"Sure," Jazalyn mumbled, "What's on your mind."  
"It's about Anubis," Rowen sighed.  
Jazalyn tensed as she became fully awake, "What did Anubis say?"  
"He accused me of helping Ryo take you from him," Rowen replied.  
"Dais, Sekhmet, and Anubis can claim that all five you took us from them," Jazalyn began, "What makes this accusation any different?"  
"He also accused me of being in love with you," Rowen finished.  
Jazalyn almost fell out of her seat; that was something she wasn't expecting to hear. "Is that true?" Jazalyn asked, completely shocked. "Are you in love with me?"  
Rowen turned bright red, "You're different. You're not like a lot of girls I know. They have their heads in the clouds, but you're very down to earth. You're probably the only girl I know of who can strike up a meaningful debate on Philosophy, Religion, Politics, Ethics, and Psychology."  
Jazalyn raised her eyebrows, "That's not what I'm asking. What I'm asking is: are you in love with me? It's a simple yes or no answer."  
Rowen blushed even harder, if it was possible, but did not answer. 'It's best if I don't push it,' Jazalyn concluded, 'he'll tell me in his own good time.'  
  
Anubis' hand balled into a fist. Not only did Strata have the gall to split his helmet, but also, he had the nerve to fall in love with HIS hikari. "It appears that I will have to teach Rowen of the Strata that it is not wise to touch something that does not belong to him," Anubis bit out angrily.  
Anubis grit his teeth at the thought of Jazalyn choosing someone else instead of him. Strata would have to learn that Jazalyn was HIS partner, and no one had any right to touch her. 'I guess I'll teach Strata that lesson in my own good time,' Anubis thought as he grinned evilly. 


	68. Chapter 66

Chapter 66  
  
When the jeep drove into the city proper, the engine stopped dead. "It looks like we're going to have to get out and walk," Mia sighed.  
"That's okay." Rowen replied, "I need to talk to Jazalyn anyway."  
"About what?" Ryo asked.  
"About what Anubis accused me of," Rowen replied, blushing.  
"Rowen and Jazalyn sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" Melody sang.  
"SHUT UP!" Jazalyn yelled, "MY PARTNER IS MAKING SOME REALLY BIZZARE ACUSATIONS AGAINST ROWEN AND I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH."  
Melody stopped singing.  
"Okay," Ryo sighed, "but if you two are not back in 5 minutes, we're coming to get the both of you."  
"Fine," Rowen huffed as he and Jazalyn walked off, shrouded by mists and shadows.  
  
"Rowen," Jazalyn began as they were walking, "what gave Anubis the idea that you were in love with me?"  
Rowen lowered his eyes as they stopped and sat down on a green bench, "After we landed, Anubis appeared. He attacked Ryo first, accusing him of taking you away from him. I interfered by calling his attention, telling him that there was no justification for that accusation, and that he was being a poor partner."  
"How did you know that Anubis was my partner?" Jazalyn asked.  
"He said your name when he made reference to his partner," Rowen explained.  
Jazalyn nodded, "Go on."  
"After I made that statement," Rowen continued, "he got really angry and swung is weapon at me. I dodged the blow and, I probably shouldn't have said it, but I let my personal feelings out."  
Jazalyn's eyes went wide.  
"I told Anubis that you were only a pawn in Talpa's eyes; I also told him that if anyone could love you and be there for you, it would be me."  
"What happened next?" Jazalyn questioned.  
"That really pissed Anubis off. He then accused me of trying to take you from him. I told him that I loved you and that he had no right to get angry about the situation."  
Jazalyn nodded as she continued to listen to Rowen's story.  
"After I said that, Anubis pretty much lost it. He was so enraged that he didn't see Ryo leap to attack him. Ryo and Anubis battled, giving me enough time to set up my bow and arrow. Somehow, Ryo knew that I was going to use my sure-kill, and so he moved out of the way. I called upon my powers and launched my sure-kill, but Anubis caught the arrow. The shockwave from my attack caused Anubis' helmet to split in half. It was then that I realized that Anubis was a human being, not a demon."  
Jazalyn raised her eyebrow, "I could've told you that."  
"Anubis then teleported away, but he threatened that if he ever saw the two of us together, he'd kill me."  
Jazalyn sighed, "You can only do what you can when the time comes, Rowen, so don't dwell on it."  
Rowen nodded.  
Jazalyn looked at her watch, "It's been 5 minutes, we probably should head back to the others."  
"Sounds good to me," Rowen replied as he and Jazalyn started walking back towards the other Ronins, Mia, and the four partners. 


	69. Chapter 67

Chapter 67  
  
As Rowen and Jazalyn started to walk back towards the others, a thick white fog surrounded them. "Great," Jazalyn sighed, "Now I can't see anything in front of me."  
"Me too," Rowen agreed.  
As the two felt their way through the fog, Rowen and Jazalyn heard the sound of a gate slowly creaking open. When the creaking stopped, the fog cleared. Much to Jazalyn's surprise, she and Rowen were standing in front of one of the large Dynasty gates that lead into Talpa's castle. Jazalyn looked at Rowen, "Don't you dare let your curiosity get the better of you."  
"I wasn't going to…" Rowen began, until his senses went into overload.  
"GET DOWN," the Strata Warrior yelled as he knocked Jazalyn to the ground. A spit second later, Rowen grabbed the weighted end of generic Kusari-gama that had been thrown at him by a Dynasty Soldier.  
"It appears we were set up," Rowen stated.  
"Can I take a wild guess on who set us up?" Jazalyn asked in a sarcastic manner.  
As the fog broke up from the ground, Rowen and Jazalyn found themselves in the center of a 360-degree circle created by the Dynasty soldiers. As Jazalyn got up from the ground, ignoring the large bruise on her right arm, she noticed the color of the soldiers' chest plates, 'They're all a blood red color, so that means…oh shit.'  
  
Sarah looked at her watch, "it's been over five minutes," she began, "where are they?"  
"I don't know," Brian responded.  
"Maybe they're making out," Melody snickered.  
"THAT IS NOT FUNNY!" Brian yelled.  
There was a big grin on Melody's face as Sarah and Melissa attempted not to laugh. Sarah tried hard not to grin and Melissa started to turn a bright shade of red, until she heard, "Quake With Fear!"  
Everyone looked at each other, "They walked right into a trap," Sarah sighed, "again."  
"I guess it would be pointless to ask if the Dynasty will ever leave us alone," Melody began.  
"They won't," Sage replied.  
"I guess we know the drill," Melissa mumbled.  
"Let's get going," Brian finished.  
  
NOTES  
1. Each Warlord has a personal army of Dynasty Soldiers. Based on the coloring of their chestplates, everyone can tell which Warlord they serve. The colors are: Red-Anubis, Blue-Cale, Brown-Sekhmet, Purple-Dais. 


	70. Chapter 68

Chapter 68  
  
Anubis' personal soldiers encircled Jazalyn. "Why is it that every time I realize something," she thought, "it's too late? But then again, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Anubis would send his personal soldiers to do this. He looks really pissed off."  
Jazalyn saw her partner advance towards Rowen, who was presently chained up due to Anubis' sure-kill. "For the smartest Ronin Warrior," the Warlord of Cruelty began, "you can't seem to follow directions very well."  
Rowen glared at the Warlord, "Why should I listen to you?"  
Anubis growled, "If you want to live, then you should've listened to me."  
"And if you want Jazalyn to live then you need to listen to me," Rowen snapped back.  
Anubis' lips curled into a snarl, "You have no right to come near my partner."  
"And you have no right putting her close to a piece of scum like Talpa," Rowen shot back.  
"She will be safe in the Dynasty," Anubis began.  
"No, she won't." Rowen snapped, "She'll be easier to manipulate and control by your so-called lord. If you really care about her, then let her stay with her friends."  
Anubis smiled an evil smile, "I have a few questions I want to ask you Strata."  
"WHAT!" Rowen replied, completely shocked.  
"Tell me," Anubis began, "have you ever lived in Darkness?"  
"No," Rowen replied.  
"Do you believe that those living in Darkness should find his or her light?"  
"What's this all about?" Rowen snapped, "What these questions have to do with the present situation?"  
Anubis smiled, "Jazalyn is my light. If you believe that the opposites of the universe should be united, then why do you stop those living in Darkness from trying to protect our lights?"  
"Because," Rowen snapped, "To extremes do not clash, they only mix. If what you're saying is true, then Jazalyn is not your opposite, but she completes you."  
Anubis furrowed his eyebrows.  
"You are not two independent souls that need each other," Rowen continued, "Each of you has some part of the other. You are not two separate beings, but two people with one thought, heart, and mind. Jazalyn is always with you, no matter where you are, or what you're doing. The best way to protect her is to keep her away from Talpa. But if you can't let me do that, then you're putting your partner in danger."  
"I need to keep her safe," Anubis growled, "if I leave her with you, she will not be safe."  
"Is it?" Rowen questioned, "or is it the fact that you don't like other men around your partner?"  
Jazalyn slapped her forehead as she turned bright red, 'Rowen,' she thought, 'a statement like that will get you killed.'  
"Both," Anubis smiled, "but I tire of these questions. It's time to die."  
As Anubis raised his sickle, the Warlord of Cruelty heard, "Chu, Tei, Ko, Nin!"  
Almost immediately, the sky flashed a dark green color, and Jazalyn watched as Anubis' personal soldiers burst apart. "Melissa, Melody, guys, I'm over here," she yelled.  
As the four Ronins, Mia, and the four partners appeared on the scene, Anubis saw Melissa's eyes and felt her aura, 'the High Priestess!' he thought, 'Impossible, the High Priestess' powers were supposed to be dormant!'  
Melissa looked at Anubis with her flashing green eyes, "You're not going to touch anyone."  
"Don't think that I won't kill all five Ronin Warriors," Anubis threatened.  
"Not with your confused soul," Melissa countered.  
While the conversation was going on, Jazalyn quietly withdrew her sword and slowly inched her way towards Rowen. When she reached her destination, she quickly cut off the Strata's chains in one swipe, 'I must remember to thank Anubis for this sword,' she thought.  
"You cannot win." Anubis growled, "I'm not afraid of you."  
Melissa smiled, "I know your not, but are you ready to confront the power of the High Priestess, daughter of the Sun Goddess?"  
All of a sudden, a small green sphere appeared in Melissa's hand. In a blinding light, the sphere turned from dark green to sunshine yellow. 


	71. Chapter 69

Chapter 69  
  
Jazalyn heard something that no member of the Partnership should ever hear: his or her armor bearer's ear piercing scream. Jazalyn whirled around to find Anubis on the ground, curled up into a ball, shaking, thrashing, and hugging himself. "MELISSA!" Jazalyn yelled, "STOP IT!"  
Melissa didn't respond.  
"MELISSA!" Jazalyn yelled again, "STOP IT, YOU'LL KILL HIM!"  
"He is in pain because his soul is torn," Melissa began, "his desire to serve Talpa is in conflict with his desire to protect you."  
Jazalyn left Rowen and ran towards Anubis. Much to Jazalyn's horror, Anubis looked like he was going into an epileptic seizure. Following the standard First Aid procedure, Jazalyn moved out of the way so Anubis could go through his seizure without hurting himself or anyone else. After about three minutes of thrashing around, Anubis stopped moving, but Jazalyn became confused when she heard her partner whisper, "Loyalty."  
Jazalyn brushed Anubis' bangs away from his forehead; as she did, she saw the Kanji of Loyalty glowing on her partner's forehead. As Jazalyn absently traced the Kanji, she began to glow a bright yellow. Trying to discover the best way to help her partner, Jazalyn began to feel for a pulse. The minute she touched Anubis' neck with her first two fingers, she could feel the light in her soul channeling into Anubis' blackened soul, 'I'm healing him spiritually,' Jazalyn realized, 'If I can keep this up, then maybe I can save Anubis.'  
But that was not to be, for a bolt of red lightning hit the ground about two feet away from Jazalyn. "NO ONE CAN HAVE HIM," a voice boomed, "HE IS MINE TO COMMAND."  
A second bolt of red lightning hit the ground and blew Jazalyn away from Anubis. In a blaze of red and black lightning, the Lord of the Nether Realm spirited his right hand man away from the small group. At the same time, everyone heard the sound of the castle gates closing. 


	72. Chapter 70

Chapter 70  
  
Jazalyn rubbed her sore arm, 'As if being thrown to the ground once wasn't bad enough,' she thought.  
"You okay Jazalyn?" Melody asked.  
"I will be," Jazalyn smiled, "but right now, my mind is asking a whole bunch of questions."  
"And you have every right to ask these questions," Melissa smiled as her powers dropped to their normal level.  
Drained, Melissa almost collapsed, but Brian helped her stay on her feet. "She's going to need some rest," Brian sighed, "but she'll be okay."  
It was then that everyone turned his or her attention towards the large castle gate. "So," Kento asked, "do we knock?"  
"This smells like a trap," Sage replied.  
"Unfortunately, it's a trap we have to walk into," Ryo sighed  
"Then I think it would be a good idea to leave Mia and the partners outside the gates," Rowen concluded.  
"WHAT!" Melody yelled.  
"It'll be safer out here," Mia assured the startled partner.  
"No way," Melody began, "I go where the action is."  
"Do you want to end up captured?" Sage asked in a serious tone of voice.  
"It doesn't matter." Melody concluded, "I go where the action is."  
"No," Brian replied firmly.  
"But why?" Melody whined.  
"WHAT PART OF NO DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?" Jazalyn yelled, "THEY SAID NO AND THEY MEANT NO!"  
Melody shut up.  
  
Talpa looked outside at his eastern castle gate, 'So,' the amorphous floating head thought, 'they've come to pay a visit. Well, they're going to be in for quite a surprise.'  
"DAIS," Talpa's voice boomed, "I REQUIRE YOUR PRECENSCE."  
The Warlord of Illusion teleported to the throne room, "You wanted to see me, my lord?"  
"Yes," Talpa replied, "look at what is outside our gates."  
As the view monitor clicked on, Dais saw all five Ronin Warriors, that girl, and the five partners. When the Warlord of Illusion saw Brian, he balled his right hand into a fist. 'It's a shame that I cannot kill that hypocritical child,' Dais thought as his mouth curled into a snarl, "but I will enjoy killing Torrent.'  
"THEY MUST BE STOPPED AT ALL COSTS," Talpa's voice boomed.  
Dais kneeled, "Master, I have a plan." 


	73. Chapter 71

Chapter 71  
  
"Okay," Ryo began, "we know that we have to get inside the castle, find Talpa, kill him, and get out."  
"Easier said than done," Sage replied, shaking his head.  
"But do we really have a choice in the matter?" Rowen responded realistically.  
"Personally, I can't wait to tell Talpa how I feel about him," Kento grinned as his palm smacked together with his fist.  
"We have to get inside first Kento," Cye replied.  
"Fine," Ryo finished, "one of us is going to have to open the castle gate."  
"Kento?" Sage asked, "Would you do the honors?"  
"No problem," Kento smiled as he pushed one of the large red gates open.  
As the Ronins entered the common area of the castle grounds, Sage and Rowen realized that it was way too quiet. "Do you think we…?" Sage began, until a burst of wind knocked him to the ground.  
"What the…?" Rowen began, until a burst of wind flung him into one of the castle walls.  
As the "wind" began to pick up speed, the Ronins were being thrown in every direction like rag dolls. When the "gust" cleared, the "wind" was nothing more than Nether Spirits playing flutes and stringed instruments. "I guess it's time to armor up," Ryo grimaced, pain shooting through his right shoulder blade.  
"Got it," Rowen replied. "Armor of Strata, Tao Inochi!"  
But as each Ronin Warrior forth his armor, nothing happened. "WHAT THE…!" Kento began, until he heard the sound of laughter.  
A split second later, the Ronins heard, "Web Of Deception!"  
  
Sarah, Jazalyn, Melissa, Melody, Mia, and Brian were all waiting outside the castle gate. "I wonder what it's like to walk onto your enemy's home turf?" Sarah began.  
"I don't know?" Mia replied, "but from what I've seen so far, it's not going to be pretty."  
"Hey you guys," Melissa began, "do you hear anything?"  
"No," Brian replied.  
"What exactly do you hear?" Jazalyn asked.  
"The sound of a group of people playing flutes and stringed instruments," Melissa replied.  
"That's it," Sarah replied, sighing heavily, "when this is all over with, I'm signing everyone of us up for a visit with the campus psychiatrist."  
"Who would believe us?" Jazalyn responded.  
"By the way," Melody asked, trying to change the subject, "How's your arm?"  
"It's still sore, but I'll be okay," Jazalyn smiled. "I guess I know how hard Rowen can shove a person to the ground."  
The next thing everyone heard was the sound of laughter. "That would be Melissa's psycho partner," Sarah responded, shaking her head.  
"That's not funny," Melissa glared.  
"Come on," Brian replied, shaking his head, "they need our help."  
"Again?" Melody asked.  
Sarah, Melissa, Jazalyn, Brian, and Mia nodded in agreement. 


	74. Chapter 72

Chapter 72  
  
As Mia and the five partners ran towards the castle gate, all six realized that the gate had been left wide open. "Can someone say "Trap"?" Sarah sighed.  
"Can you also say, "We don't have a choice"?" Jazalyn replied as she shook her head.  
"So we go in?" Melody asked.  
"What other option do we have?" Mia responded.  
"Just be careful," Brian warned, "this is Talpa's castle. He has home-court advantage."  
"Thanks dad," Melody replied in a sarcastic manner.  
"Ready?" Melissa asked.  
Everyone nodded.  
  
Dais was hanging upside down on his spider web, and gloating at the five Ronin Warriors that were trapped in his intricate webbing like flies, "So, these are the five Ronin Warriors," the Warlord of Illusion sneered in a mocking tone of voice, "If that is the case, then you five are nothing without the Partnership."  
"I beg to differ," Cye snapped.  
"You won't get away with this," Ryo promised.  
Dais laughed at Wildfire's remark, "That Hypocritical Child and your little whore, Wildfire, will find you eventually. And when they do, they will both watch their partners die right in front of them."  
"Your sick," Kento growled, "you really need help, you bastard."  
"Silence your tongue!" the Illusion Warlord snapped, "You know nothing about my plans Hardrock. And with all five of you out of the way, I can…" that was when the Spider Warrior felt vibrations.  
"They're here," Dais smiled, "all five of them and that girl are here." 


	75. Chapter 73

Chapter 73  
  
It was quiet, quieter than anyone had ever heard since the war had started. As the five partners and Mia entered the castle grounds, they were greeted with an eerie silence. "It's way too quiet," Melissa whispered.  
"No kidding," Jazalyn responded. "Do you hear any music?"  
"No," Melissa answered, shaking her head.  
"Do any of you hear music?" Mia asked.  
"Nope," Sarah replied.  
Suddenly the "wind" picked up. At first, it felt like a gentle breeze, but slowly, it grew into the equivalent of a hurricane force wind. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Sarah yelled as the wind began to physically push her towards the center of the castle grounds.  
As the "winds" gusted harder, Melissa heard the strange music again, "That's it!" she remembered, "That's the music I heard playing while we were waiting outside the castle gate."  
With the "wind" pushing everyone towards the center of the castle grounds, Jazalyn tried to go in the opposite direction. All she ended up with was a backlash of wind, and her bruised arm stinging even more. "This wind is alive," Jazalyn grimaced.  
"This isn't wind," Brian countered.  
"What makes you say that?" Mia asked.  
"Look up," Brian responded.  
As everyone looked up, all six non-combatants saw Nether Spirits floating in the air, playing musical instruments.  
"That's it," Melody sighed, "I'm dropping Music as my major."  
As the winds continued to push them forward, all Mia and all five partners saw the trapped Ronins. "RYO!" Sarah yelled in complete horror.  
"CYE!" Brian yelled in shock.  
"So," a sneering voice laughed, "you came just in time to watch your pitiful partners die."  
Everyone turned to find Dais hanging upside down from the center of his spider web. 


	76. Chapter 74

Chapter 74  
  
The Warlord of Illusion looked at the six offerings the Nether Spirits brought before of him. Yes, all of them were here, including his partner. "I'm glad you've decided to grace my presence," Dais laughed.  
"I'll grace your presence after my foot has been inserted into your manhood," Sarah bit out angrily.  
The Spider Warrior smiled, "so, it appears that Wildfire's whore has an attitude problem. Don't worry, I can fix that."  
No one answered.  
Dais then looked at Jazalyn, a small part of her arm was black and blue, and probably still stung from the encounter with the Nether Spirits. "Anubis' partner has endurance," the Warrior of Summer mocked, "perhaps she is not as pitiful as I thought."  
"Dais," Jazalyn growled, "if you don't shut up, I swear the minute I find one, I'M GOING TO SHOVE A RED-HOT IRON UP YOUR ASS!"  
Everyone looked at Jazalyn in shock; no one had ever said anything like that in front of the Illusion Warlord. Brian turned bright red, 'why is it that Mia, Melissa, and I are the only one's with a clean mouth?'  
Dais chuckled at the comment, "you two have equal tempers. Perhaps Anubis is the best partner for you."  
"Bite me," Jazalyn growled again.  
However, no one was paying attention to Melissa. She was standing behind everyone, lost in thought, 'If I don't do something, someone's going to end up dead.'  
As she mentally tried to work the complicated spider web patterns that held the Ronins prisoner, she heard a soft clank on the ground. At first she ignored it, but something golden colored caught her eye. When she turned to her right, she saw a staff lying right next to her. 'The Warrior-Monk's staff,' she thought, 'It seems he wants me to use it, but how do I use it?'  
As Melissa quietly picked up the staff, she looked at her friends, the Ronins, and then her partner. Holding the staff in her hand, Melissa realized what she had to do.  
  
NOTES:  
1. No, Jazalyn is not going through her "Womanly Thing." She just get's very angry and bitchy when she's hurt and in pain. 


	77. Chapter 75

Chapter 75  
  
The situation was going exactly the way the Warlord of Illusion wanted it to go. All five Ronin Warriors were trapped within his webs, and he had the five partners within sight. "I tire of this verbal sparing," Dais replied, suddenly finishing the conversation, "I want my audience to have a good view as the five Ronin Warriors die."  
  
"You sick son-of-a…" Sarah began, until she saw the Warlord of Illusion inch his way towards Ryo's direction. 'No!' Sarah thought, "LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU SICK PERVERT!"  
  
"He's not going to listen," Jazalyn realized, swallowing. "He wants to savor this moment."  
  
"Sick bastard," Sarah hissed.  
  
"I am not sick in the head," The Warrior of Summer answered, grinning maliciously "I just want him to suffer physically and emotionally before he dies."  
  
"You gave Melissa up of your own free will," Brian shot out, desperate to save the Fire Ronin's life.  
  
Dais was startled, but laughed a deep-throated laugh at the outburst. "For that remark, you Hypocritical Brat, I will kill Torrent last; because of you, he will die the most painful death out of all five of them"  
  
"Wait!" a voice called out.  
  
Everyone turned to look at Melissa. "What if I made you a deal?" The young woman asked her partner.  
  
"What kind of deal?" The Spider Warrior asked.  
  
"If you release all five Ronin Warriors, then I'll exchange…" Melissa swallowed.  
  
"Exchange what?" Brian asked, eyes going wide, "EXCHANGE WHAT?"  
  
Melissa lowered her eyes. "I'll go with Dais back into the Dynasty. Out of my own free will."  
  
"WHAT!" Sarah, Jazalyn, Melody, Mia, and Brian yelled in a mix of shock and horror.  
  
Melissa looked at the others, "We don't have much of a choice." 


	78. Chapter 76

Chapter 76  
  
"YOU'RE GOING TO WILLINGLY WALTZ RIGHT BACK INTO THAT HELL-HOLE?" Sarah yelled.  
  
"Yes," Melissa murmured as she closed her eyes.  
  
The Warrior of Summer chuckled, "I knew you'd come to see it my way."  
  
"Melissa! No!" Kento yelled, trying to get out of Dais' web-like prison.  
  
"Silence, Hardrock!" Dais snapped as he turned to face the Warrior of Justice. "You and your friends have interfered with me, my partner, and my master's plans for far too long."  
  
"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," Melody replied as she rolled her eyes. "We've heard all this bullshit before."  
  
"Melody," Jazalyn replied as she smacked her forehead, "Shut up. When we go back to America, assuming we're going to get out of this alive, I am not going to explain to your family how you ended up in a body bag."  
  
'Dear God,' Melissa thought, completely ignoring the conversation, 'please give me the strength to do this without letting someone get killed.'  
  
Dais shifted his attention from Kento to Melody and Jazalyn, "the voice of reason and the annoying little girl. Perhaps I'll…" it was right then and there when he noticed that Melissa was starting turn chalk white. "Is something wrong my little light?"  
  
'What am I doing?' Melissa thought as she cringed. 'If I betray him, then…no, don't think about that…don't think about what's going to happen to your family when he finds out you've betrayed him.'  
  
"Melissa?" Dais asked again.  
  
"Mel?" Sarah asked in a concerned tone-of-voice, "Are you okay? You're turning chalk white!"  
  
"I give you five seconds to give me an answer Dais," Melissa snapped, startling everyone.  
  
"What the…" the Illusion Warlord began.  
  
"Five…Four…" Melissa began the countdown.  
  
"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Melody yelled.  
  
"Three…Two…"  
  
"Melissa! What are you…?" Brian asked.  
  
"One…Zero."  
  
When Melissa reached zero, the young woman whipped out the Ancient One's staff that, a few minutes earlier, had been hidden behind her back. Without warning, the staff let lose all of its power. As the staff continued to pour out its power, scaring away the Nether Spirits and freeing the Ronin Warriors, all Melissa wanted to do was to physically and emotionally shut down. 'Please let me go numb,' Melissa thought, 'I've seen too much, I know too much, and I've betrayed the only person who can protect me and put my loved ones danger. Please dear God, just let me go numb.'  
  
But Melissa didn't go numb; instead, she felt sick to her stomach. The nausea became so bad that eventually, she dropped the staff and fainted. The whole time she unconscious, she never saw or heard the end results of her trick to free the Ronins. She didn't even remember Sarah and Brian moving her off the castle grounds. 


	79. Chapter 77

Chapter 77  
  
When Melissa opened her eyes, she noticed that everyone had left the castle grounds. "Where are we?"  
  
"We're far way from Talpa's Castle," Kento replied, offering his hand to the shaking girl.  
  
Melissa accepted Kento's hand as she got up from the previous position she was in. "Then everyone is okay?"  
  
"Yes," Jazalyn nodded. "But…you're not okay. You turned chalk white and then you passed out right in front of us. Is…there something you want to tell us?"  
  
"No," Melissa replied, shaking her head.  
  
"Mel…something bad just happened to you. Are you sure…?" Sarah began.  
  
"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Melissa answered, uncharacteristically yelling at her friends.  
  
"Melissa," Brian began, "are you going to be okay?"  
  
"Let it go," Sage replied, "she'll talk to us when she's ready. Forcing her to talk right now isn't going to help.  
  
Melissa closed her eyes as she started to hyperventilate, "I need to be alone," she breathed, "If it weren't for those stupid dream, maybe I wouldn't be so upset."  
  
"Dreams?" Jazalyn and Melody questioned in unison.  
  
"Yes," Melissa replied as she started getting more worked up about the current situation.  
  
Melody looked at everyone, "let me and Jazalyn take care of this. I think we can help."  
  
"Will you be okay?" Brian asked.  
  
"If it will make you feel better," Jazalyn replied, "you guys can always stand a few feet away from us. Just be sure to tune out the conversation."  
  
Everyone else nodded and moved away.  
  
*******************************************************************************************  
  
When everyone except Jazalyn and Melody left, Jazalyn put a hand on Melissa's shoulder. "You had them as well?"  
  
Melissa's eyes went wide, "You mean dreams about my partner killing my family…yes I've had them."  
  
"Welcome to the club," Melody replied sarcastically, trying to bring some humor into this dark situation.  
  
Melissa nodded in agreement. "I've betrayed my partner…and because of that…Dais will kill my whole family."  
  
"Is that why you passed out?" Jazalyn theorized. "An overload of power from the Ancient One's Staff and the fear that Dais will hurt your family?"  
  
"Yes, "Melissa sobbed, "I knew that if I betrayed my partner, he would end the lives of my whole family. I…I had to do it, but…now my family is going to pay the price for my actions."  
  
"We'll get through this," Melody replied, smiling. "We'll save the world and our partners. Besides, with all the tight security now at the airports, how are the Warlords, much less Dais, going to slip into the United States without being noticed?"  
  
"I'm sure they can blend if they tried," Jazalyn replied.  
  
"A young man with white hair and an eye patch is going to stick out like a sore thumb in America," Melody continued. "I don't think anyone looking like that is going to get past security without arousing suspicion."  
  
Jazalyn gave Melody an ugly look as Melissa started laughing. Those two reminded Melissa of her friendship with Sarah.  
  
"Hey!" Rowen called out, interrupting Melissa, Melody, and Jazalyn, "are you three finished with your conversation?"  
  
"Yes!" Jazalyn called out. "Feel free to join us when you're ready." 


	80. Chapter 78

Chapter 78  
  
The quiet aura that penetrated the main street of Downtown Tokyo did not a reassure any of the eleven people that walked in its path. Not one of the partners or the Ronin Warriors believed that the danger the Dynasty could throw at them was completely gone. Most, if not everyone on the deserted streets, felt that it was too quiet, too deserted, and too foggy. Jazalyn noticed a huge mist of dark clouds that had rolled over the city, and hung in the air. The sense of dread was overpowering. "I hate this place," Jazalyn shivered.  
  
"You're not the only one," Melody agreed. "This place feels…well…wrong."  
  
"For once, I'm not going to argue with you about that," Brian replied.  
  
Melody grinned as everyone continued walking down the abandoned street. The general lack of activity was enough to make her both nervous and frustrated. She craved action, but deep down inside, she wondered if this war was giving her too much action.  
  
As everyone kept walking, the clouds started getting thicker. Finally, the clouds became so thick that Melody couldn't see in front of her. Almost, as if by a newly acquired instinct, Sekhmet's partner reached out and grabbed Jazalyn's arm. "Melody, are you okay?" Jazalyn asked.  
  
"I can't see anything in front of me," Melody whined.  
  
"I can't either," Jazalyn nodded. "Hey! You guys still here?"  
  
No one answered. Jazalyn tried calling out again, but there was still no answer. "Melody?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are you still holding on to me?"  
  
"Yes. Why do you ask Jazalyn?"  
  
"Because," Jazalyn swallowed, "I think we just lost track of the others?"  
  
The next words out of Melody's mouth were "Oh, shit!" 


End file.
